


A Story Worthy of The Stars: Book 2

by lorraineblake



Series: A Story Worthy of The Stars [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Anakin is married to her, Canon Divergence - Revenge of the Sith, Canon Divergence - Star Wars Expanded Universe, Canon with Expanded Universe, Clone Wars, Dark Anakin, Expanded Universe, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Female Obi-Wan Kenobi, Gender or Sex Swap, Genderbending, Masturbation, More characters but I don´t wanna spoil, Obi-Wan is a woman, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Resolved Sexual Tension, Slightly changed personalities, Sort-of-Slow Burn, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Violence, You Have Been Warned, not much though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2018-08-14 01:06:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 136,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7992979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lorraineblake/pseuds/lorraineblake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anakin has always known he was never going to be a good Jedi. He knew it form the bottom of his heart. Every trial that the members of the Council had put him through, he has failed. At least every trial that mattered. He was too fearful, he was too angry, he was too hateful, he was too afflicted. But he was also too in love. It was love what has kept him where he stands, it was love what has given him reason to go on, it was love, in the end, the only constant in his life. </p><p>And for that love, Anakin was willing to do anything. To lie, to hide, to deceive. And sometimes, to kill too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Clone Wars: Death (Part 1)

**Author's Note:**

> I´m back with the second part of the series A Story Worthy Of The Stars, this time we will cover Clone Wars and Revenge of The Sith, so bare with me, it´s going to be a long ride. 
> 
> If you haven´t read the first part I recommend it, it´s not strictly necessary but there would be references here and there about events that came to pass in that fanfic and it will be helpful if you have read that one first, also you won´t understand how these two got together in the first place ;)

#  **_Clone Wars: Death (Part 1)_ **

There was mud everywhere, on the sole of her boots, splashed over her tunics and robes, Obi-Wan could even swear there were pieces of rock incrusted and dirt dried over her scalp and threads of her hair. She has never been this filthy in her twenty seven years of existence. The female Knight was already tired of the war, and the whole thing had only just begun. She felt suddenly too self-aware, things that she didn´t pay much attention during normal circumstances started to make more sense and gain more importance on her life the more and more she lacked them. Like the need of a good bath and a long night of sleep. But, as usual, there was nothing that could be done on the matter.

The Jedi was carefully and patiently re-arranging the thick leather gloves that covered both her hands; it was growing late and she has been stationed on the surface of Jabiim for far too much for her liking, it was raining season in the planet and her skin has grown pale at the absence of the warm sun. Her hair, not only mudded but also constantly wet, was glued to her face and neck at all hours and she was sure she couldn´t keep the strands of her auburn locks in place not even with the help of her characteristic braids. Maybe she would have to be obligated to cut it short, after all, something she´s being trying to avoid, she liked her hair long, but it was totally impractical for the battlefield, even though she already knew that if she dared to attempt to do something like that there would be a certain someone who would protest almost immediately.

“Alpha!” she called across the camp while finally, removing the damn gloves, decorum and presentation be damned.

“Yes, sir?” was the immediate response of Obi-Wan´s second in command, Clone Commander Alpha, who came running directly straight to her, it was the closest thing that Obi-Wan had to a friend out here in the battlefield and she was grateful for his assistance and firm leadership. The man was a clear headman and knew how to do his job properly.

“I think I´m going to retire for the night. I´m far too tired for formalities…” she excused herself while giving Alpha a funny look “I trust you are capable enough to receive the reinforcements on your own?”

“Of course, General” he said, almost with a salute.

The “reinforcements” were a whole new legion of troopers that were sent to their aid alongside with a group of Jedi. Obi-Wan would be usually too weary to receive such a big help when so many other planets needed the presence of the Republic Army and the Jedi, but Jabiim was proving to be a true disaster. No matter how she tried to approach the conflict, either with peaceful negotiations or brute force, she was incapable of moving forward and accomplish anything.

“Tell your men to clear the zone and to start to build the necessary camps to accommodate the new troops, I want those men well rested for whatever it is to come tomorrow, they shouldn´t take long to arrive” she instructed while finally getting her other hand free of the leather prison of her military glove.

Alpha nodded with a ´yes, sir´ and move to follow the command, Obi-Wan started to walk to her own tent, glad to finally be able to rest after a long day of planning and of securing the edges of her camp and newly gained territory. She directed herself right to the mobile fresher that the soldiers had been too kind to install beside her tent. Maybe Alpha has noticed that she had a tendency to grow grumpy after a couple of days without a good shower. She got rid of her dirty tunics and got herself inside the warm spray of water.

She took her time to enjoy the feeling of hot water traveling down her body and skin after the cold rain that plagued this planet ended up freezing her to the bone; she washed her hair with diligence, making sure that whatever had found its way there was utterly gone by the time she’d make it out of the excuse of a bathroom. When she was finally done, she grabbed what it was functioning as her sleeping clothes for the time being: a couple of loose inner tunics; her usual pajamas, which were simply either a night thin robe or a camisole, were a no-no inside her current situation. This was war, she had to be prepared for the battle whenever it came her way, she could be peacefully sleeping one minute and the next she will be needed with lightsaber grasped in her hand and boots on her feet, so she needed to be practical above all.

She went back to her comfortable tent, brushing her long, slightly curled hair and letting it down to run free over her back, her newly made lightsaber, which she took time to make after losing her own in Geonosis, was secured next to her cot, over a small table that also had a small light for her personal use. After washing her teeth, she took the time to read a couple of reports from the Council and the state of things in the rest of the galaxy, as well as quickly issue a small report of her own just so the Council knew she was still alive.

When all was done, Obi-Wan was sure she would finally take a well-deserved rest, and quickly made her way to her bed. She laid over the comfortable surface, even with the thing not being as good as her own bed back at the Temple, it was the closest thing to perfection she would get out here, and she was grateful enough to not have to sleep on the ground or in a piece of rock. She laid there for a minute, enjoying the warmth of the blankets when she was able to hear the sound of engines landing close and the flying noise of shuttles coming down to the ground. Right, the reinforcements. So, they were now here, then.

Trusting that Alpha was able and capable of taking things on his own hands, as he has promise he would, she trailed her thoughts back to the sleepy trance she was about to be captured in.

Obi-Wan was half way into dreaming, as much as a Jedi could ´dream´ without actually be having premonitions or memories of the past of course, when a soft ruffling of her tent almost woke her up, she was about to reach for her lightsaber in an unconscious move of her mind, but she was too sleepy to care and she didn´t sense any sign of danger coming from the Force. Her brain assured her that it was probably just the wind, which was not rare, the planet was as wild as it can be, and strong winds and storms were not a rare occurrence.

But before she could fall back into her sleep, a couple of strong arms enclosed her waist from her back and a sudden heavy weight invaded her cot, settling next to her, followed by the warm puff of breaths over the sensible skin of the back of her neck.

“Master…” a deep masculine voice murmured on her ear.

“For Force sake, Anakin!” she whispered with an angry tone and a harsh hiss under her breath. Left hand gripping her lightsaber and almost turning it on, impaling the body of her unexpected intruder.

Anakin´s response was a loud laugh and a tight hug followed by a kiss to her exposed neck.

“I missed you too” he said in a breath, then he moved her on her back to properly ravish her mouth.

His lips were warm and soft, moving expertly over her own chapped ones. Since Anakin and Obi-Wan had gotten married, the young man has made an effort to get into heavy kissing sessions more often than not. She didn´t know if the Padawan had any experience beforehand but she was sure he was way better than her at it, at least at sheer enthusiasm. Anakin´s hands started roaming the soft curves of her waist, and his tongue requested entrance inside her mouth, which she granted. Obi-Wan was not as passionate as Anakin was, but he was right, she has missed him; they have never been separated for such a big length of time before, it felt strange to fight battles without him by her side, and to go back to bed without sensing Anakin´s presence close by.

Before things could get any more heated, she separated their lips and nuzzled his cheek with a small smile.

“Yes, I missed you” she accepted.

“I dreamed of you…” Anakin confessed while touching her face with his robotic hand. “All the way here, the only thing in my mind was you.”

Obi-Wan didn´t say anything but only managed to smile. The female Knight moved to re-place her lightsaber back on the night table. Anakin followed the movement of her arm and smiled at the action.

“I should have known that the Council was planning to send you to my aid” Obi-Wan growled while she got back under the warm covers.

“A Padawan shouldn´t be away from his Master” Anakin commented with a slight smile. 

“Indeed. I thought you were busy commanding the star forces?” she teased.

“Oh, I was. But I won. So I found my way back to you, where I belong.” He shrugged with a soft movement of his shoulders.

Anakin had the talent to make bold deep statements of love in between senseless commentary of war and missions. Obi-Wan almost rolled her eyes at the petulant sound of his voice.

“And even if they didn´t have the sense to send me back to you, I would have come anyway.”

“Don´t say that” Obi-Wan chastised him with a disapproving look “Don´t defy the Council, Anakin. It´s unbecoming.”

Anakin snorted while embracing her, bringing her closer to him until there was nothing but clothes separating them, Obi-Wan could feel the passion that only Anakin could laid out through their bond, it made her shiver from time to time.

“I don´t care what they say. I won´t leave my wife in this junk of a planet” he boldly stated.

 _My wife_. The title still sounded too foreign to Obi-Wan´s ears. It was the only title she has received so far that she couldn´t show off, not that she did with any of the ones she already had, but it was the only one that made her heart beat faster and her face grow hotter. The possession of the name tasted bittersweet in her mouth, she was happy to be with Anakin, to truly prove herself to him by having this thing between them, something real. But at the same time it was the reminder of her guilt. She was a Jedi, that title symbolized her attachment to Anakin, her undeniable deceit and hypocrisy; sometimes she found herself wanting to vomit when she was called to stay in front of the Council or was simply in the presence of Master Windu or Master Yoda. The guilt of her actions and secrets eating her out. But what was done was done, and for all her contradicting feelings about it, her love for Anakin will always ultimately win.

“Anakin, please do not antagonize the Council” she requested, suddenly more tired than before “and go back to your own bed.” She whined.

Anakin´s response was to adjust his grip on her waist and kiss her brow.

“I much rather prefer to sleep with you.”

“I can see that” she said with a low hum “but, alas, you have your own tent. It´s expected of you to rest close to your troops, Commander.” She informed him, using the military title that it was given to all Padawans, it still sit ill with the Jedi to be called by such ranks. Jedi were peacemakers not warmongers. It sounded completely wrong.

“I don´t care” it was his only response.

“Anakin…” Obi-Wan´s voice was done with being playful, now it was a low mumble, alerting the Padawan that she was giving him an order, not a request.

“I want to be with you, we´ve been apart for almost a month now, Master” Anakin started, finally letting her waist go in order to accommodate himself, staring at Obi-Wan with his blue eyes. “After you went to that mission with Master Fisto to Ord Cestus I´ve been dying to kiss you” he said with a small smile forming over his lips.

“Oh, I´m sure” Obi-Wan teased for a moment, before regaining her seriousness back “but, my young Padawan, I think you already have, so now, go to rest. You will need it for tomorrow.”

“Obi-Wan, can you just be glad to see me…?” Anakin complained with some annoyance palpable in his tight voice.

“What are you talking about, Anakin?” she frowned, suddenly apprehensive of her husband´s attitude. “I´m very glad to see you.”

“Then what are you pushing me away?” he questioned.

“I´m not pushing you away. I´m just telling you that we both need to rest, and that you have your own tent” she said with confusion, trying to understand why her apprentice was being particularly thick.

“I can very well rest here.” Anakin clarified, while moving under the covers as if to prove his point.

“No, you can´t. Anakin, don´t be troublesome, we are not at the Temple, we are on duty, we cannot partake into this careless demonstration of affection, there are stakes out here” Obi-Wan announces, a little bit annoyed by the fact that she has to explain this to the young Jedi in the first place. He should already know.

“There is no one here that can see us, it´s just you and me. Stop treating me like your underling.” Anakin growled, Obi-Wan rounded her eyes in surprise by his defiance and his menacing tone.

“Padawan…” she dangerously called, eyes sharp like daggers “To your tent. Now.”

Anakin was about to protest again, she could feel it, but the man seemed to re-think his strategy and simply frowned giving her an angry glance, he made a small flick with his tongue in a sign of bedevilment and pulled the covers off him with a fast move of his mechanic arm. Obi-Wan could see through the darkness of the night that he was dressed in his usual Jedi attire, from his tabard to his boots, he didn´t even bothered to change his clothes before coming to invade her bed. Obi-Wan almost thought that he would simply walked away without a pause, unbelievably angry and quiet, but, at the last minute, Anakin managed to turn around and come close to her face once more. A sudden soft kiss was being press to her lips, follow by a rapid succession of two or three pecks before he straighten himself beside the bed.

“As you command, General” the Padawan muttered, voice tight and impersonal. He finally managed to walk away to the entrance of the tent and before leaving, he turned his head to give a last stare and say “I love you.”

Obi-Wan smiled sadly.

“I love you too” she said with honesty. With that, Anakin finally disappeared.

Obi-Wan could hardly sleep through the duration of the night.

 

  

* * *

 

 

 

_Obi-Wan stared out the big window of the ship, the immensity of the universe before her. This was a sight that the Jedi has seen almost a thousand times before, but it never ceased to strike her with wonder, one could hardly grow tired to stare at the infinity of space, there was always something new to see. From her position, she could hardly see Naboo anymore, after the ´wedding´, Padmé has insisted for them to eat something before leaving to Coruscant; she wanted them to spend the night there as well and to part until the morning found them but the Council requested the presence of all Jedi back at the Temple as soon as possible, wanting to re-group and to keep them all safe from Separatist forces. So, Obi-Wan could only accept the hospitality of a last meal in celebration of her union with Anakin._

_The rebellious Padawan wanted to stay, of course, saying something of ´don´t newlywed couples have a honeymoon?´ but he knew better than trying to push the issue, Obi-Wan has already given way too much by accepting to partake into this terrible disregard of the Code by agreeing to marry him, it wouldn´t be wise of him to demand more from her than he already has._

_They had a delicious dish and talked and laugh with Senator Amidala a little more, finally saying their goodbyes, Obi-Wan tried to take the ridiculous expensive dress off from her the minute the whole thing was over, she was too unused to wear such kind of clothes, especially fancy gowns. If she has to be honest she liked the design, it was lovely, but that didn´t mean she felt comfortable looking the way she did. But Padmé has insisted for Obi-Wan to take the dress along with her, saying that it wasn´t even Padmé´s, the ex-monarch just quickly went through a new collection of dresses made by some local famous designers of Naboo that she likes, just bothering to add some details here in there to, in Padmé´s own words, incorporate some of Obi-Wan´s personality into it, so it wouldn´t be proper for the Senator to keep it. Obi-Wan immediately refused the offer though, Jedi were forbidden possessions, and it´s not like she was going to be able to wear it again. Still, Padmé managed for her to leave the blue planet with the dress still on, from the veil to the uncomfortable heels. Obi-Wan guessed that she could always dress herself into her usual Jedi robes once she was inside the ship._

_“You look lovely”_

_The soft voice of Anakin awaked her from her daydreaming at the tall window, she turned to see her new husband staring back from the entrance of the room with adoration on his blue eyes, the same shade of the water of Naboo._

_“Thank you” she said with honesty. For all her discomfort with her state of dress, she was, at least, glad that Anakin was enjoying the view._

_“You are surely the most beautiful woman I have ever seen” he confessed while walking to her in a straight line, focused on her white-lace covered body._

_“I think you hardly have seen all of the female population of the galaxy, Anakin” she snorted with a slight smile on her pink lips. Anakin´s hand enclosed her tiny waist and pulled her full against his firm chest._

_“My point still stands” he remarked while lowering his head to nuzzled the skin of her exposed neck, for all the heavy length of the fabric of the gown, the dress exposed her shoulders completely, allowing her skin to feel the cold air of space._

_Anakin was kissing down her neck now, Obi-Wan tried to make it easier to him by tilting her head to the back, presenting more of her throat for him to kiss away. But Anakin had other plans, for he started to walk backwards, dragging her alongside with him to the bed._

_They were enclosed inside the safety of a private room, again, courtesy of Padmé, who had convinced them to take their leave in one of her private Naboo cruisers, instead of just flying back in one of the Jedi shuttles provided by the Republic. Obi-Wan didn´t object much, not seeing much of a deal in accepting the favor, but now it seemed clear the reason behind the offer. The politician wanted to give them some sort of privacy and intimacy while they made their way back to the mess and chaos of the incoming war._

_Before Obi-Wan could put two and two together though, she was being, delicately, thrown onto the soft spacious bed, with Anakin hovering over her with a strange gleam on his eyes. Quicker than she could react, the Jedi Apprentice was back at kissing her exposing skin, but now the sweet touches were follow by a wet warm tongue that trailed down her throat and over her neckline, his hands were touching her over the fabric of her dress, caressing the curves of her waist and hips; Obi-Wan could feel a sudden explosion of passion and desire coming from their bond. And the Jedi Knight shivered finally understanding the meaning behind all of this._

_“You are so beautiful, so beautiful…” Anakin murmured over his breath, taking back her lips in the most sensual kiss that Obi-Wan has ever encountered._

_She didn´t know if Anakin had any experience in the realms of pleasure, but the man was certainly natural at it. He moved like an expert, so sure of himself, so softly and yet so desperately, and Obi-Wan found herself blushing at his equally innocent yet lecherous touches. She knew very well how to kiss, she did it before with Quinlan as well as with Satine, Anakin was hardly her first go at it but she has never done anything more beyond making out or heavy petting, this was something entirely new to her._

_Anakin continued to kiss, lick and nip her skin with small touches and Obi-Wan found herself lost to the feeling of such movements but she finally got out of her trance when the young man attempted to pull at the laces on the back of her dress, trying to free her of the prison of her gown. Obi-Wan suddenly pulled away when a quick vision of Anakin´s face when he was still a young child appeared behind her eye lids, smiling and innocent, so different and similar from the man above her, pulling at her clothes._

_“Anakin, stop…” she didn´t demand, she just asked him softly, pushing against his chest with a delicate move._

_“What´s wrong?” Anakin asked, suddenly mortified of the possibility of making a mistake._

_“I don´t think this is right...” She said._

_Anakin lifted an eyebrow, clearly confused with the change of atmosphere. Obi-Wan felt the need to clarify the situation._

_“I know this is, well, I guess that´s expected…” she said a little unsure “…but I don´t think we should go any further until you reach your Knighthood. It´s not right.” She finalized, now more confident on her words. The image of a young Anakin still running through her mind like a cruel joke, reminding her of her sins, punishing her for her transgressions._

_Anakin stared at her for a couple of moments, a collection of different emotions showing over his face. A combination of confusion, surprise, worry, nuisance and sadness took over his features in a flash and his mouth started gaping like a fish._

_“What!?” he almost screamed, loud enough for all the crew to hear him._

_“It´s just that I´m your Master, Anakin. It´s not right for me to take advantage of that.” Obi-Wan tried to reason, and a part of her was pushing against her conscience, fighting her own desire with her integrity._

_“I can´t fucking believe it!” Anakin spat like a curse, and, in any other day, Obi-Wan would feel obligated to scold him for his language, but even she considered that he was justified in his reaction._

_“We just got married and you are going to pull the ´hierarchy´ card? On our own kriffing bed!?” Anakin was yelling now, completely furious with her, he stood from the bed and started pacing like a mad man. Obi-Wan pulled herself up until she was seated over the bedding, staring at her husband with rounded eyes._

_“Anakin, please, calm down…” she begged, raising her hands in front of her in a reassuring manner._

_“I just can´t believe you, Obi-Wan” the Padawan confessed, stopping to look at her horrified. “We just got married, we just swore love to each other, and you don´t want to have sex with me because you think you will be taking advantage? Give me a break!”_

_Obi-Wan could find some sense into the words muttered by the young man; it was true. They were married, it hardly matter what they did. And Anakin, even when he was younger than her, was not a child, he was not the young Padawan she just saw inside her mind. He was a man, young perhaps, but obviously a man, capable to form his own decisions. He wasn´t being coerced either, she had no reason to be ashamed of her desire, to want to be close to him in this way or in any other, but Obi-Wan felt guilty anyway, guilty for so many things now that she couldn´t take one more stain in her record, and a sexual relationship between a Master and an Apprentice, which was highly forbidden, it would surely be the last nail on her coffin._

_“Don´t you want to be with me?” Anakin asked, suddenly defeated and utterly tired “Is that what this is? Am I not… attractive enough?”_

_Obi-Wan has seen Anakin being too many things at the course of their relationship and time together, insecure of his looks wasn´t one of them._

_“Anakin, of course it´s not that!” she said, reaching out with her hands to touch his arms “You are handsome, incredibly so. And I love you, of course I want to be with you.”_

_“Then?”_

_“It´s not lack of desire what it´s stopping me, but I cannot, in good conscience, be your Master, your superior, and also have sex with you…” she explained with a painful expression. Obi-Wan omitted the fact that she just imagined him as a nine-year old, she imagined that: ´I saw you as a little kid when you were kissing my neck and about to undress me´ wasn´t going to go too well either._

_“You think that because we have sex I will stop obeying you?” Anakin lifted his eyebrow with incredulity._

_“Anakin, you are already a difficult student in a daily basis” she said with a significant look “you struggle to respect my authority in the simplest of tasks, I don´t think you can keep following my lead after you´ve see me naked” she states without mercy, giving him a side-eye._

_Anakin almost feels offended by the wording of her statement but he knows that what she is saying holds some truth. He knows he was a difficult Padawan, countless Masters have let him know he has been one off their worse students, not that he wasn´t good at the tasks they ask him to preform or learn, they just keep saying that he was undisciplined and arrogant. Obi-Wan was one of the only few who actually appreciated him for what he was, she has voiced her concerns over his attitude at multiple stances, but she has never judge him for it. He only thought she wouldn´t bring that to their bedroom._

_“Obi-Wan, you can´t be serious… who knows how long the Council will take to make me a Knight! And at this rate that it´s really not going to happen…” he complained. “Just let this one go, Obi-Wan. Don´t fight it.” He requested, reaching out for her gown´s laces once more. Kenobi tensed immediately and slapped his hand away._

_“I already said no, Anakin” she growled with a deep frown._

_The young Padawan was about to burst with anger, he felt his blood boiling and a ferocious growl was making its way out of his throat. He has had enough of this, of this pretending and this suffering, he thought he had finally accomplished one of his biggest dreams, he got together with the person he has loved the most in his entire life, but when the time came, he was going to be denied again. As if those wedding vows meant nothing, as if all the words of love she said, the feelings she promised were meaningless and cheap. Anakin could feel a dragon roaring inside his chest, threatening to emerge and burst everything into flames._

_“I´m your husband” he snarled, baring his teeth is if ready to bite “If I want to kiss you, I kiss you. If I want to lay with you…”_

**_Obi-Wan grew cold._ **

_She felt as if she was going to vomit any minute now, because no matter what Anakin was capable of doing, of how obnoxious he could get, how childish his whining could turn out to be and how bad of a temper he tends to have, he could have never, never, said something like that to her. Obi-Wan would stand in front of the Council and defend Anakin until she was out of breath, she would walk away of the Order itself if they ever dare to kick him out, she would have done anything and everything just to make the world see that Anakin was good. But nothing, in this galaxy or the next, could have prepare her for this._

_The minute of silence that remained between them seemed to made Anakin catch up to the horror on Obi-Wan´s face and the sickly intent behind his revolting words. In an instant, the young man gasped in terror and raised his hands trying to embrace Obi-Wan in a tight hug._

_But the woman moved before he could touch her, she climbed the bed backwards, away from him and almost crashed herself against the headboard. She quickly schooled her disgusted expression into one of seriousness, like a good Jedi, pretending that she had control of whatever it was going on inside the room._

_“I´m sorry, I´m sorry!” Anakin begged, eyes suddenly red with unshaded tears, the dragon gone and just a pitiful ashamed boy left behind “I can´t believe I´ve said that, I won´t hurt you, I promise, please Obi-Wan…”_

_She wanted to listen, she really did, but all that she could hear now was Anakin´s voice, threatening her, demanding things and looming over her like a dark cloud. In any other situation, she wouldn´t react in such a way, Jedi were impassive against insults or demands, she would have never given importance to nasty words, even when they promised violence. But this wasn´t a mission, this wasn´t a stranger talking her down and making threats, this was Anakin. Her Padawan. Her Partner. **Her Husband**. She couldn´t pretend it didn´t frighten her. That it didn´t shake her from body to soul._

_“I won´t touch you until you want me too, I swear, I won´t ever say anything rude or disrespecting against you ever again, I will follow every order, every command you give me… just, please, please…” he was crying now, there were tears in his eyes, like a child scared from a monster, in this case though, from his own words._

_She believe him, when he says he didn´t mean it. But that doesn´t mean he didn´t say it. That didn´t mean it wasn´t the only thing she would be able to see for a while when she sends a look his way._

_She was too stunned to move when Anakin approached her quietly, he was still sobbing and pleading apologies but she felt as if she was underwater, she could barely hear a thing, two warm hands enclosed her arms, they were soft and moved slowly, the way that one would approach a frighten animal. There were Anakin´s. She let him touch her, she let him bring her closer to him until her head rested on his chest, she let him kiss her brow and head, she let him whisper promises and apologizes to her ear. She let him. She needed comfort, even if it was only from the man who had provoked her fear, but the problem was that it was the same man that she loved. She wanted to run to the arms of the person she has identified as her true home. So bad that those same arms belonged to the one who has given her grief._

_“I won´t do it again, I won´t…” he said, face still wet from his own tears. “Force… Do you want me to go?” he asked, looking down at her with uncertainty._

_Obi-Wan stared at him with a silent question in her own eyes, suddenly getting out of her trance._

_“I mean, you need to rest, of course. I can leave you to it, if you don´t want me close, I understand, believe me, I do…” he rushed with renewed apprehension._

_Obi-Wan meditate it for a moment, unsure if she wanted to do just so. The fear has already disappeared, she was back at her senses, back at the coldness she has grown used to, and she was no longer confuse either and not so much as scared than angry. Now that the impression has vanished, all that remained was indignation._

_“No” she declared, voice tough and clear, like a seasoned soldier in the middle of the war. “I want to rest but you don´t have to go anywhere.”_

_Anakin released a long deep breath he didn´t know he was holding._

_“But if you ever say something like that to me again, or try to touch me in an intimate manner, Anakin, I swear by the Force, I´m going to punch you in the face” she menaced with a passion, eyes filled with fury and so much promise._

_“Yes, you can do whatever you want, punch me, kick me, report me to the Council if that it´s what it takes…”_

_Obi-Wan almost narrowed her grey eyes at Anakin´s words, he must really feel sorry if he was willing to bring the Council into this. Good._

_“I don´t need your permission to put you in your place” Obi-Wan explained to him with a slight look, before moving her hands back to her head, taking the veil off her hair. “Nor the help of the Council to kick your ass…” she added, in any other time the phrase would have come as a joke, but in that instant it was dead serious._

_Anakin nodded with solemnity, still feeling too unsure of where they were standing. To be honest, Obi-Wan felt uncomfortable too, but the sooner they move past this episode, the better._

_“Now, I´m going to take off this dress and get back to my robes and you are going to check the coordinates and notify the Council we are on our way, is that clear?” she asked. Anakin nodded and got up from the bed where he was sitting._

_When the Padawan got through the door, Obi-Wan release a deep breath with sudden tiredness. She knew that whatever this was between them was far from over, there were things left to discuss but she thought that Anakin wasn´t in any shape nor form to talk things through, she would wait until things have cool down and he didn´t feel exposed and guilty._

_“What a way to start a marriage…” Obi-Wan thought, taking one last big breath before reaching behind her to undo the laces of her dress._

* * *

 

It was the early morning next time Obi-Wan regained her conscience, she felt tired and not at all well rested, not after sending Anakin away leaving things the way she did. Thing have being getting better between them, and she felt guilty for having to start a fight after such a good period of time.

The female Knight was busy dressing herself in her new robes. She has dressed herself in a multitude of ways through the years, but this style was really growing on her. Because Obi-Wan has to start wearing armor over her robes to protect her from blaster shots, she has taken into fashion herself with fabrics that held tightly to her figure. She wore two inner tunics to keep her warmed, and her exterior robe was fashioned in the nature of a dress. It was opened on her sides to allow her legs to move without material getting in the way even when the fabric of the outer tunic reached just below her knees, bellowed her semi-dress she wore the Jedi´s characteristic light brown leggings and her reddish brown high boots. When she was content with her appearance, she reached for her obi and belt, clasping it tight against her waist. She had to admit that she looked good, even when it wasn´t the intention.

She was pulling at her hair next, clasping two braids over the sides of her head to reach in a small crown in the top of her head from which a high long ponytail fell down and onto her back. This hairstyle was one of the simplest she has ever worn, but she felt inclined to be practical and not waste more time in fashioning her looks as she would in any other circumstance.

Her concentration was suddenly interrupted by the sound of her carp´s entrance being pulled. One fast glance to her mirror informed her that it was Anakin.

“Well…” the man almost whistled, eyes inspecting and analyzing her figure. “Isn´t this a new look?” he teased.

Obi-Wan turned with a small smile.

“I felt like changing a bit” she let him know, returning to appreciate herself in the reflection of the tall mirror installed inside the tent by the clones, searching for any imperfection left by her carelessness.

Anakin walked to her, shorting the distance until he was behind her, his strong arms enclosed her waist and his chin rested over her right shoulder, looking at her with intense eyes through the mirror.

“I like it” he confessed “You look lovely. But then again, you always do.”

Obi-Wan smiled in response.

“I have a feeling your judgment cannot be trusted with these things.”

“You look amazing, for real” he promised.

Obi-Wan reached to her waist, clasping his hands with hers, turning to deliver a small kiss to his nose in a tender gesture.

“I´m sorry” she said.

“For what?” Anakin frowned.

“For kicking you out last night. It wasn´t right.” She said. Anakin smile sadly, turning her around to kiss her in the mouth with so much love than Obi-Wan felt her own head spin and her eyes almost prickling with happy tears.

“Don´t be” he requested, smile showing on his face “I deserved it. I was being difficult for no good reason.”

“You just wanted to be with me, I can hardly blame you for that. I missed you too.” She retaliate with a softness that not even Obi-Wan knew she possessed, there was something more, she knew, a bad feeling that it has been brewing inside her gut since she woke up in the morning. And her consciousness was asking her to make peace with her husband before doing anything else.

“Obi-Wan” Anakin whispered, her name has never sounded so good in any other mouth, it made her blush “I love you.”

Obi-Wan took his chin with her right hand and pulled him to her, devouring his mouth in a passionate kiss that talked about intensity, desire and love, so much love. Her arms snaked behind Anakin´s head, fingers playing with the short strands of hair that remained despite his Padawan hairstyle. Anakin kissed back with equal enthusiasm, not missing a beat or getting behind. They were perfect, Obi-Wan decided. They were lethal in the battlefield and they were so consuming in each other´s arms, there couldn´t be a more perfect match in the entire galaxy, even when the affirmation sounded way too arrogant and biased.

“I love you too, Anakin” she said with a happy smile, separating their lips and leaving behind the nasty feeling that was making its way down her spine.

There was the sound of heavy boots outside her tent, they both turned, almost separating as if the other was on fire. A habit taken after the constant fear of being discovered by praying eyes.

“General…” Alpha´s voice sounded loud and clear outside of her tent, waiting for her acknowledgement to respond.

“Yes?” she asked, giving Anakin a meaningful look while the young man took a seat on her cot. Grinning as if the sudden situation was hilarious.

“The troops are ready for your orders, Sir” he said with his usual formality.

“Of course. Re-group them all in a battalion on the center of the camp, I will be there shortly.” Her voice was the one of a commander, gone was her tenderness and the softness only present when she talked with Anakin.

Obi-Wan turned at the sudden noise coming from her cot, watching her husband whispering ´I love you´ from his seat. Obi-Wan blushed and made a gesture of dismissal, Anakin chuckled at her obvious embarrassment.

“Very well, Sir” Alpha answered from the outside, walking away.

Obi-Wan glared at the man currently seated on the comfort of her beddings.

“You are worse than a child, Anakin” she scolded, grabbing her lightsaber and clasping it on her belt.

“And you love me just like that” he said while standing up and kissing her brow before leaving her tent.

Obi-Wan looked at him until he disappeared from her sight, releasing a deep breath from the confines of her lungs, with an instant feeling of both comfort at his words and the still too shaky premonition of bad bearings, she whispered:

“That I do…”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

_It has been almost two weeks since their return to the Temple, and Anakin still felt insecure on how to proceed. Obi-Wan acted as if nothing had happened, she smiled a bit more now that they were married and seemed to be infinitely more comfortable in his presence, as if something heavy have been lifted from her shoulders. But even after all these good signs he still felt too guilty to enjoy any of it._

_Obi-Wan went on her life as if she had forgotten the incident back at the ship, but the memory of his words and implications still lingered deep inside Anakin´s mind for him to give them rest. He didn´t know what came over him when he said those awful words. How could he be so utterly idiotic and stupid to even consider say something so monstrous? All his life, all he ever wanted was to be with Obi-Wan, to love her and to be loved by her, and the first thing he does when he finally gets his way is to scare and threatened her. He felt like the worse scum of the universe._

_Just when he almost finished to sink himself down in his own self-loathing, the door of their quarters hissed open to reveal Obi-Wan coming in with a tired expression on her face._

_Anakin, who is seated in the couch at the communal area of their apartment, looks at her with a mix of apprehension and intrigue, but the sight of her beautiful face with such an exhausted expression almost sends him back into depression._

_“Anakin” Obi-Wan calls in a manner of salute. Giving him a small smile from the entrance and coming closer to him to rest a kiss on his forehead before moving to the kitchen._

_“You look tired…” he points out, wincing at the pale color of her skin._

_She hummed in agreement._

_“The Senators don´t stop coming and requesting meetings with the Council” she excuses, filling a kettle with water “and the Council doesn´t stop asking for my presence in every single one of them. It´s mad.”_

_Anakin curses under his breath, kriff all those so called Masters of the Council who doesn´t even seem to be able to handle simple diplomatic meetings with the Republic without having to call for his Master´s presence._

_Obi-Wan comes back with a smile on her lips and manages to take a seat in one of the chairs of the living room. Her hair is a slight mess, with threats of hair escaping the confines of the usually secured braids, if the Padawan wasn´t feeling so blue the sight would almost make Anakin chuckle._

_“How was your day?” she asks sweetly._

_“More of the same” he shrugs, resting importance to his not so overly complicated agenda. “A little bit of training, fixing some ships and having some lectures about being ready for the wars to come.”_

_“Oh, I bet” she chuckles with easiness, getting back up at the noise coming from the kitchen, warning her that the water for Obi-Wan´s tea was more than ready._

_While Obi-Wan takes her time preparing her soothing tea, Anakin takes to watch her from his position. Her soft movements and grace, even when completely drained of energy, conserve their usual elegance and Anakin remembers himself, only younger, trying to imitate his Master´s mannerisms and even fancy accent, feeling every impulse to be closer to her, thinking that he would eventually achieve such a thing with just being like her. For him, she was the epitome of a perfect Jedi, and his younger self wanted to be just that._

_Halting his thoughts and inspection, Obi-Wan returned to the living room with a cup of her tea, but managed to surprise Anakin with a second cup that she put in front of him, presenting it as a present._

_“There you go” she whispered softly. He hadn´t ask for a drink, but Obi-Wan always seemed to want to cheer him up._

_“You are awfully quiet, Padawan” the female Knight mentioned taking back her seat and taking a soft sip from her own cup._

_Anakin meditated the sentence before doing anything, but failing with coming with an explanation he only took his drink and drove it to his mouth, enjoying the hot beverage._

_“Anakin…” she called, lifting her beautiful grey eyes to look at him with sudden concern._

_“I´m tired” Anakin lied, drinking the whole thing even when the temperature was too high and it ended up scolding his tongue, just so he could run away to hide inside his bedroom._

_Anakin bowed with respect and rush to the kitchen to leave the cup into the sink and almost made his escape a success if it wasn´t because a delicate hand grabbed his shoulder and stop him right in front of his door._

_“Is there something wrong?” the voice of Obi-Wan questioned._

_Anakin turned to look at her, but immediately recognized the movement as a terrible mistake, for he got lost inside the orbs of his Master´s eyes. They were pits of profound consuming peace, and he felt himself drift into the depths of their color. His ability to speak got lost somewhere inside his throat and the reminder of his past actions came to haunt him like a ghost._

_Two warm hands enclosed the frame of his face, and Anakin wanted so bad to tilt his face and close his eyes, lose himself forever into the loving touch, but he recollected himself in time to recognize he wasn´t worthy of such sympathies and affection. With a smooth pull, he disengage himself from the soft hands of his Master._

_“Anakin?” Obi-Wan inquired with thick concern on her voice, a deep frown present on her face._

_“I´m sorry, Master. I just don´t deserve your concern, please, forget about it.” He requested._

_Obi-Wan almost gasped at the declaration._

_“Anakin, what are you talking about?” she questioned._

_The Padawan only made a pained expression._

_“It´s just… that night, in the cruiser, I…” Anakin mumbled, not really managing to say anything at all._

_Obi-Wan´s eyes spread out in recognition._

_“Are you talking about the incident… after we got married…?” the Jedi inquired once more, catching up with his words._

_Anakin nodded pathetically, refusing to look at his wife to her eyes. Shame consuming him from every direction._

_“Anakin…” she started “…talk to me. Please?”_

_The Padawan learner seemed to lose himself inside his own thoughts. Not knowing if he wanted to share his mind._

_“What I did to you…” he muttered, words tangling between his teeth._

_“You did nothing to me” Obi-Wan corrected him._

_Anakin suddenly seemed alarmed at the affirmation._

_“How can you say that?! I almost… I almost…”_

_“No, you didn´t.” She exhaled in a long breath “You said something terrible, you feel awful about it, you should.” She told him with a pointed look at him._

_Anakin listened with confused and surprised eyes but remain silent, sensing Obi-Wan wasn´t done._

_“But you never did something to me. You didn´t hurt me. You didn´t force me into anything. You were being an idiot, which it´s different, and you stopped before doing something even more awful. And then you felt so bad about it that apparently you have been punishing yourself ever since.” She finished with a soft look of compassion._

_“Maybe you are right” he mumbled not too content “but I still feel guilty…”_

_Obi-Wan´s response was to smile in return._

_“Take your time if that it’s what you need” she said kindly “but just know that I don´t feel bad about it anymore…”_

_In an unexpected move, she grabbed his robotic hand, that was now covered with a thick glove, and pulled him alongside with her while she directed him to follow her inside her bedroom._

_“Obi-Wan, what the brix are you doing?” he asked, confused and somewhat alarmed._

_She smiled without looking at him._

_“I´m taking you to bed” she almost chuckled, Anakin felt the blood being drained from his face “To sleep.” She immediately added as she felt him tense in her grasp._

_“No!” Anakin roared._

_Obi-Wan paused to look at him from the door of her bedroom lifting an eyebrow at him._

_“Are you honestly going to tell me you haven´t been thinking about this since before we got married, Anakin?” Obi-Wan asked him with a slight tease._

_“Of course, I have” he agreed “but…”_

_“Then stop pretending you don´t” she said with a tired buff._

_Obi-Wan finally let go of his hand and entered her room. Anakin has seen it before, it wasn´t a sacred place or even a private one for Obi-Wan. When he was little and used to suffer terrible nightmares he used to run here, scared out of his mind and seeking the comfort of Obi-Wan´s arms. His Master wasn´t really big into giving such affections, as many Jedi rarely did, but she at least calmed him down every time and made sure he went back to bed relieved and soothed. The familiar sight of Obi-Wan´s bed sent shivers down his spine. He used to imagine himself lying there one day, tangled in the white soft sheets of Obi-Wan´s mattress that was bigger than his own, he used to think of passionate nights of making love and peaceful mornings of waking up next to the object of his desires. But now it seemed less than a resting place and more of a trap._

_“Obi-Wan, I don´t think this is wise” he confessed with a pained expression on his face._

_“Nonsense” the female Jedi replied, losing the already disheveled braids of her hair and allowing her falling locks to run free down the length of her back._

_Anakin stood at the entrance, appreciating his Master movements while she took off parts and pieces of her clothing, her brown boots were the first to be tossed aside with a lazy move of her wrists, followed by her outer tunics, before showing too much skin, the grey-eyed woman walked to her walk-in closet to hide herself away from his eyes and get her sleeping garments._

_When she was finally out of sight, Anakin inspected every corner of the room carefully. As expected, very little has change inside the bedroom. Anakin still recognized the light brown rub that covered every inch of the floor, the creamy soft color of the walls that reminded him a little to the sands of Tatooine. The big bed positioned at the left side of the room, alongside two small tables at every side of the bed, a window that allowed some illusion of illumination, some plants, a tiny personal library with holobooks with a comfortable chair on the side, a desk, the walk-in closet and a private fresher. Anakin felt the memories of his own presence inside this private space, the bed that he spent some nights when his dreams were too ugly even for Obi-Wan´s nicest words to comfort, the rug where he laid down a couple of times while he talked and played with some droids spare parts while Obi-Wan read on her chair when they had free time. But before he could sneak out of the room and lock himself away inside his own, trying to gain his time while Obi-Wan was too busy changing her clothes to notice him, something caught up his eyes._

_There it was, standing alone and glorious, the sight of the Nubian Mists that he had gifted Obi-Wan during the first weeks of his stay at the Temple. They weren´t fully flowered yet but they were, without a doubt, beautiful already. Their blue color contrasting with the brown and white tones of the room, coloring an impersonal place, that even though safe and familiar, it was too detached of personality._

_Before he could stop himself, he was in front of the plant, holding some petals with his flesh hand, allowing the soft texture of the blooms to caress the skin of his limb. Obi-Wan has surely water them regularly and has kept the present in pristine condition, apparently taking her time to care and love the arrangement the same way she took her time to secure her large complicated braids on her head. He smiled at the thought._

_“So, you have found them, then…”_

_Obi-Wan´s voice took him out of his daydreaming. She was dressed down in a nightgown that reached her knees, black and soft in appearance, it might occurred to Anakin that this might very well be the only dark piece of clothing that Obi-Wan possessed, and the thought sent pictures to Anakin´s head of the female Knight wearing obscure dresses and perfectly tailored dark gowns._

_“You still have it” he remarked, trying to return his eyes to the flowers, avoiding any eye contact with the beautiful and tempting figure of his wife. “I wasn´t sure. I haven´t seen them in a while.”_

_“I did” she answered, positioning herself next to the vase of flowers. “It´s funny how a flower from Naboo can live so long without much sunlight. But then again, they are called Morning Mists for a reason, I guess.”_

_A silence came between them and apparently it wasn´t as uncomfortable as the Padawan would expect it to be, it was, in fact, appeasing. He didn´t know if it was the flowers and the many memories they shared over them, he didn´t know if it was her words, always clever and certain. He didn´t know if it was her nightgown either. But the storm inside his mind has eased, as Obi-Wan always tells him to do when he gets overly emotional. What she didn´t see, and now he does, it´s that it always comes down to her for him. Anakin has always known he was never going to be a good Jedi. He knew it form the bottom of his heart. Every trial that the members of the Council had put him through, he has failed. At least every trial that mattered. He was too fearful, he was too angry, he was too hateful, he was too afflicted. But every time he wanted to quit, to walk away, to hide and run from his issues, it was Obi-Wan who always brought him back to his senses. Be it with calming words or firm demands, she always found a way for him to pull himself together. Even in moments like this, when his guilt was eating him from the inside, and the person he has wronged stood beside him, forgiving him with such simplicity, in a much more profound way that he could ever forgive himself. That was the moment he understood that she was right, in this, like with all the other things before; she has found the way to bring him back again, he realized. He found himself grateful, with this life, with the Force, with Qui-Gon, to have found him and to put him here where he was now. Much like these flowers, they were away from the sun. Tucked in a corner of a dark room inside a big castle of secrets. But that room was their home, he mused. It was where they belonged. Both the flowers and them. And much like the blooms, he noted happily, they will eventually flower. In time. Without the light of the day, without the company of others, but as strong and as beautiful as they would have bloomed in the openness of the fields. And that was enough, enough for them both._

_“Obi-Wan…”_

_“Yeah?”_

_“Let´s go to bed.” He smiled. It took Anakin just one glance to see that Obi-Wan was smiling too._

* * *

 

 

“Troops, I want you moving to block those cannons, I don´t want them to cross the eastern border!”

Obi-Wan was shouting, giving orders left and right and Anakin couldn´t help but admire her determination and ability to command. It seemed like her second nature already, as if she has live a lifetime of wars and conflicts, and not just a few months. He wouldn´t have thought that something as pacific as a Jedi would embrace her role as a General with so much easiness. He couldn´t, and, he guessed, that was why he was the Apprentice rather than the Master.

“Alpha! By my side!” she ordered with a movement of her hand, the clone commander followed her without questioning. Anakin was weary to let her out of his sight, but he couldn´t even dream to say such unthinkable things out loud. In the privacy of their rooms they were married, they were justified to worry about each other. But here, in the battlefield, during missions, he was but the student while she was the General, and he was expected to follow her every command, and he would, not because of decorum, but because he has promised he would.

Obi-Wan ran alongside Alpha, slashing the battle droids of their enemies with her lightsaber, and the blue plasma was the only light that let Anakin follow her direction while he busied himself with some droids of his own. He was getting tired. The muscles on his back felt strained by his constant pulling and his arms felt heavy, the wild rain that invaded the field and made sight difficult wasn´t helping either. But he continued, either way, knowing that this battle was important for the Republic. That they must win or carry with the heavy consequences of failure.

So Anakin concentrated in his duty like only a few times before. He was surrounded by clones, they were designed to follow his lead as much as to protect him, always taking care of giving their lives in place of his if the need arise, considering that the only Jedi available right now were Anakin and Obi-Wan; special reinforcements were not expected to arrive for at least another week, waiting for the call if needed too, but their forces were small if they considered the ones led by the Separatist, and there were no Jedi to spare in such a great war.

Overtime, the rain grew even worse, and, contrary to the heat of blaster fire and the warmth of his body by so much activity at the time of fighting, the water falling from the sky was freezing cold. The young Padawan started to fear that they will be beaten, not by the enemy´s forces, but by the terrible weather of the insufferable planet alone. The loyalist of Jabiim were trying to aid them, joining their forces with the ones of the Republic, and since they were already used to this environment, their help provided to be most helpful, even when they didn´t really have much training.

Anakin had controlled the eastern side of the field, protecting the canons and heavy artillery from the treacherous deactivating droids of the Separatist, smirking as he thought that he finally found a way to please his Master, before she ran away with her own group of clones to face battle and search for Alto Stratus, the leader of the Jabiim Nationalist Army, to end the battle and disperse the opponent legion with confusion and anarchy, she was worried about the enemy´s forces breaching their eastern border, damaging their weapons and forcing them to lose some ground.

 _“Well, problem solved”,_ Anakin thought smugly.

“Trooper!” he called one of the few clones that were around, and by the looks of it, the leader of the current group that were charged with the weaponry.

“Yes, Sir?” the soldier asked respectfully, placing both of his hands behind the small of his back.

“I´ve already cleaned the field” he said with a playful smirk, proud of his own labor, “I trust you and your men will be able to keep it that way. I think I´m going to follow General Kenobi and try to help her out.”

“Of course, Sir!”

Anakin takes his leave then, running after his Master, sensing her Force signature ahead in the battlefield. Before he can go very far, though, there is ripple coming from the Force itself, telling him that Obi-Wan needed him close to her, so he started to run like a madman. The Force never lied, it could be vague, it could be confusing, but never a liar. And if there was something that Obi-Wan has taught him was that a ´bad feeling´, especially one that came from the Force, was not something to be ignored.

He ran for a while, slashing his lightsaber a couple of times, re-directing blaster bolts and destroying some rogue droids and Separatist rebels that dare to get in the middle of the way. He felt out of breath, but not for the running, not for the tiredness of the grand battle, but for the sole worry he felt for his Master´s sake. Anakin wasn´t lying when he said she was the most important thing in his life. That he loved her more than anybody and any other blasted being in this universe. But despite his fatigue, he kept going, running through the mudded field, between the multitude of clones that were busy shooting and fighting back the droids, through the Jabiim loyalist that joined them in the defense of their planet. His blue eyes searching for the fierce auburn hair of his master and her enchanting piercing grey eyes that changed color depending of her wild emotions. “ _They must be green now”_ , Anakin thought. The color they adopted while the female Jedi was angry or consume by battle.

He saw her then. In the middle of what it seemed an intense fight, her long Jedi robe was all splashed with mud and the fabric has turned ragged and soiled. Her long hair was still held by her ponytail even when some threads of it had escaped some parts of her braids. Anakin felt relief at the knowledge that she was apparently well, and ached to be close to her, helping her. He wanted so bad to approached her, but he instantly knew that his journey has being in vain, his Master would never allow him to stay close to her for much, not when he was needed supervising the far ends of the battlefield, keeping the lines of the clones steady and moving, making sure that the supervision was as good and perfect as it would be as if Obi-Wan was the one doing it, keeping it the way he knew she liked it, but the sudden desire to be close to her, the powerful Force continuing with its whispers inside his mind, was alerting him of his need to be close, to recognize that there was danger.

Suddenly there were explosions everywhere, big, colossal balls of blasting burning fire coming from different sectors of the field. Incredibly terrified and confused, the young Padawan sent glances to all directions, trying to identify the source of such impressive and boisterous flames that left his ears almost deaf and burned the retinas of his globes. With one quick look at his back he realized that the heavy weaponry he saved moments ago were still standing, so they weren´t the ones exploding.

 _“Mines!”_ some people started to shout between the tumults. Anakin felt like losing his grip, unexpectedly confused and insecure on how to proceed.

The explosions continued and screams of agony accompanied every loud blast, making the apprentice feel terrified and, for what it felt like the first time, conscious that he was in a war. His eyes flied back in front, forcing himself to ignore the dreadful sounds and pleas of the dying troopers and loyalist close to him, to concentrate in finding his Master, making sure that she was still untouched. He could see her lightsaber still, but she was too far away now, and the whole place was too crowded to just run and approach her. There were several AT-AT around the field as well, but the metallic giants were also falling by the powerful mines of the Separatist, crashing down over what it seemed their own army. It was a nightmare.

Before long, there was smoke around him, thick veils of fume that made impossible to see anything beyond a couple of meters from where he stood. The panic surrounding the area was palpable, and in a fast thought, he knew that the only solution available for them all was to withdraw from the battle and escape to their camp, regrouping and lick their wounds, the Force knew that Anakin was the last person prone to retire during a battle, but remaining here was suicide.

“Raid!” he called from his commlink, communicating with one of the clone Commanders in the battlefield.

“Yes, sir?” came the answer from the other end of the line. He could hear the trooper´s voice being out of breath.

“I need you to send in the air transport! I want you to evacuate the field and take out as many men as you can! I want them all out and back to the base!”

“Yes, sir!” came the swift response.

The blond warrior stood from the mudded ground, his own tunics splashed by dirt and stinking of gunpowder, the smoke had cleared a bit, allowing him to see around the field openly. His blue yes search for the form of his wife, seeking her hair, her eyes, her womanly figure, her lightsaber, anything. But there was nothing in sight but fallen soldiers and wreck.

“Sir!” a sudden shout made him turn to his back, a clone trooper coming closer to him with a couple following behind. The sudden sound of shuttles flying made him sigh with relief. Help was close.

“The shuttles are ready, Sir. We must evacuate.”

“I need you to locate General Kenobi” Anakin instructed, trying to keep his voice tight and professional, not allowing to show his worry and fears.

“Right Away, Sir!” the clone Commander saluted, giving a coded order to his fellow soldiers. Before Anakin could join the search, the clone Commander turned to him once again. “Sir, I must insist for you to evacuate and get into one of the shuttles.”

“I´m not going anywhere until I find my Master, trooper”

“Sir, please, I promise you my men will find her and make sure she is safe, but we need you to evacuate now, before any other mine explodes…”

The soldier was all covered in thick with armor, including his head, so it was impossible for Anakin to actually see his face, but if he could, he swears the man would be frowning. The Jedi Padawan is used to be difficult, to follow his own path, it was the reason behind many of the Council headaches and Obi-Wan´s too, even Anakin could admit that sometimes he was being particularly problematic for no good reason. But this time, he needed to find Obi-Wan, this time he will not stop until he has her secure in his arms.

The Commander, sensing the young man´s resolution and devotion to his Master, instantly offered a second opinion before the Padawan could refute him.

“Maybe if I give you a shuttle with clones to patrol the area and find the General much faster, Sir?”

Anakin´s eyes widen and he started nodding like a madman.

“Let´s go.”

One Republic shuttle landed close to them, the vessel was full with clone troopers ready to guard him and protect him, Anakin climbed the ship in a swift motion, not even waiting for it to hover the ground, the clone Commander quick following his steps. The Ship roared with the movement of the engines, getting higher and higher until it was flying through the air, there, in this gifted position, Anakin started looking down at the ground, searching or any signs of Obi-Wan´s presence.

The wreck was even worse than the young apprentice could have imagined. Dead loyalist and fallen soldiers covered the ground as if they were grass, the rain falling over their bodies and covering them with mud, his blue eyes moved almost erratically, trying to find clues of his Master whereabouts, even when he silently pray to the Force to not found her there, fallen and broken on the ground, as helpless as their forces.

“Sir, right there!” Clone Commander Raid shouted, pointing at one direction ahead of them, Anakin turn to see just to witness Alpha and Obi-Wan crouched on the field, trying to hold their ground but perfectly, beautifully alive.

“Go there, pilot!” Anakin ordered, finally gaining some breath.

When they approached and lower closer to the ground, trying to dodge possible attack at the same time that they intended to rescue their allies, Anakin held to one handle close to the open shuttle´s side door.

“Master!” he screamed.

Obi-Wan, who had one knee prostrated on the dirt, raised her head to look at the sudden sound of a voice she knew only too well. Her beautiful eyes seemed to recognize the message, and with a signal to Alpha she started running towards the shuttle.

Anakin barked a laughter at the image of his beloved, safe and sound if only a little dirty and disheveled, he could almost imagine the feel of her strong arms around his body once more, and he found himself aching for her embrace.

 

 

_“Will every morning be like this?”_

_Obi-Wan turned her sleepy head to look up at her husband´s equally tired face. They have just awaken, raised by the sudden soft rays of sun that appeared from her window, she was laid across his chest, feeling the softness of his golden skin on her right cheek, before doing anything else she found herself smiling up at him._

_“If you want to.” She offered._

_“Oh, I want to, Master.” He swore, chuckling while his arms found their way to her waist, pulling her against him with renew purpose. Obi-Wan has never felt so loved in her entire life._

_“Funny…” she recalled, planting a small kiss over his firm chest “So do I.”_

 

She was so close now, running as fast as her slender but athletic legs allowed her, there were fallen warrior at every step, blasters thrown onto the ground, rest of droids and even a couple of AT-AT along the way, but her eyes were only focus on Anakin. Anakin who was currently extending his hand to her, Anakin who has come to her rescue once more, Anakin who was uninjured and handsome and perfect. She could hear Alpha´s heavy steps behind her, trailing her down and protecting her back like he always does, and she found herself grateful, she didn´t want to lose any soldier if it was her choice, but so was the nature of war to lose people one cares about, but if she had her pick, she was glad he was the one who made it out of another fight to stand beside her. With one look ahead she saw Anakin´s hand, extended still, inviting her close.

She was so close now, just so close.

 

 

_“Do you really have to go?”_

_“I think you already know the answer to that, Anakin” she said without taking her eyes away from her boots, she was setting the straps just the right way, tight against her leg._

_“Yeah, I know, but I mean, why am I not going with you?” he inquired, insulted by the mere possibility of separation between them. She couldn´t really blame him for that._

_“We both knew this was going to happen” she reminded him, finally turning to see him sitting on her bed, brooding like a moody teenager. “You shouldn´t act so surprised.”_

_He buffed._

_“I am not” he said like a curse. “I would just prefer it if the mighty Council wouldn´t try to set us apart every chance they get.”_

_“Anakin, they are not trying to set us apart. Stop imagining plots inside your head, you are the only one who thinks that.”_

_“That´s not true. They don´t trust me, Master. They never have.”_

_Obi-Wan wanted to refute the statement, but felt that it was actually true. Yes, the Council was weary of Anakin´s motives and intentions at every single turn, she understood why the Padawan would be upset, but the young man didn´t really fight to earn the trust either, so he wasn´t in a position to complain._

_“This will pass” she said, smiling and coming up to him, bending forward to kiss him on the center of his forehead._

_Anakin closed his eyes for a moment just to open them back at the feeling of her lips separating from his face._

_“I will go and do my duty. You will go and do yours. And at the end of the day, tired and victorious for our own missions, we will meet again. And it will be even better, because I will miss you and you will miss me and falling back onto this bed will feel like we are coming back home.” She finished, touching his right cheek tenderly, caressing his soft features. Anakin finally allowed himself to smile._

_“I will hold you to that.”_

 

His arms hurt by the pulling of his muscles, by the aching of his bones, Obi-Wan was so close to him now, and as tired and stubborn as his limb was he would not retreat it. His body wanted his Master´s touch more than it needed the rest. The sole thought of having her back into his arms made his heart beat faster and faster against the confines of his chest.

Just when he had her, when she was a mere couple of meters away from his hand, a terrible loud sound came from the right side of the shuttle, unbalancing the ship and making it fly widely to one side, taking them away from his Master. It took the clone a couple of seconds to regain control over the vessel, and Anakin almost wanted to rip his head off for the carelessness and incompetence, he just was about to save her when he manages to tear them apart once more.

“Pilot! Get to the General!”

“It´s too dangerous, Commander!” the trooper dares to respond “We will be hit by the enemy!”

“I don’t care! You need to get close to Obi-Wan now! It´s an order, soldier!”

The pilot moved the shuttle forward once more, closing the distance between them again. Obi-Wan was still on the mud, she had fallen by the sudden violent movement from the ship when they were sent backwards, but she was standing once more, trying to approach them.

Anakin extended his hand once again, inviting her to take his hand.

 

 

_“I love you…”_

_“Force, Anakin. What if somebody hears you?!” she scolds in whispers from her commlink. They have been apart for some time now, not much, but the Padawan had grown restless and has found some time to contact her. Obi-Wan missed him terribly, but she was so immerse with the planning of her attack that she hadn´t have room to think of anything else._

_“I´m in my quarters, no one would hear me” he explained, rearranging himself at the end of his bunk inside his assigned room, he was inside a Republic cruiser, resting after fighting, and winning, a battle in the middle of space, trying to free some intergalactic routes from the Separatist grasps._

_“Still, you need to be more careful.”_

_“Would it kill you to just tell me you love me too?” Anakin questioned, suddenly upset by her indifference._

_Obi-Wan looks as if she was about retorting with some of her witty remarks, but stops just in time and seems to re-think her approach._

_“I love you too” she finally settles._

_“Much better” Anakin smiles._

_“Anyway, are you sure this line it´s secure? I don´t want to get angry calls in the middle of the night from Master Windu…” Obi-Wan tells him, one eyebrow lifted in an obstinate manner._

_“Oh, I´m sure, Master. Who do you think you are talking to?”_

_“Oh, I don´t know…” she playfully comments, sarcasm showing on every word. “I´m pretty sure I´m talking with the same boy who once blew up the entire emergency line from the Temple just because he was curious about the programming of the Archives computer system…”_

_“That was hundred years ago! I was eleven!” Anakin protested, hands flying up the air as if exaggerating his anger. “And I fixed it, remember?”_

_Obi-Wan chuckled under her breath, folding her arms over her chest._

_“Oh, yeah, fixed it all right. Though not before Master Windu called you in front of the Council to yell at you for your antics. Really, Anakin. You left more than a hundred Jedi without communication to the Temple for almost four hours…” she rolled her eyes._

_“Who programs the emergency line from the Archive´s central computer anyway?” Anakin complains._

_Obi-Wan laughs lightly and Anakin is suddenly lost at the sound._

_“Speaking of which, how did you get this comm-number? Quinlan gave this new one to me just a couple of days ago, the old ones were compromised…”_

_Anakin grinned like a naughty Nexu._

_“Oh, Master. I´m pretty resourceful, you would be impressed…” he teased, showing his teeth with apparent mischief._

_“Something inside my head it´s telling me I don´t want to know…” she declares, huffing with easiness and blowing some rebel tuft of hair that has fallen over her face._

_“But you love me anyways.”_

_“I do, Anakin.” She says, smile truthful, wide and radiant. Anakin blushes. “I certainly do.”_

 

There is an explosion, an AT-AT burst in a blaze of flames and fills Anakin´s entire vision all of a sudden, pulling his arm back to his chest in a quick movement of his self-preservation needs, his eyes are wide. There is only fire and then nothing.

The shuttles it´s pulled backwards once again, the force of the explosion taking them all for surprise and making the vessel almost falling down to the ground. Some clones are pulling at him, securing him against the floor of the ship and away from the open door, but he is not feeling, he is not paying attention to anything they might be saying or doing or trying or whatever, because his eyes are staring straight ahead, at the nothingness.

When the fire dies out, when the smoke dissipates enough for his blue orbs to see, the field is clean, bare, only burned ground and roasted pieces of metal. There is not red hair, there is no green eyes, there is no delicate, slim arm reached out to him. There is nothing where Obi-Wan should be.

For the first time in his life, Anakin doesn´t feel anything inside his chest. There is emptiness where a powerful strong bond must have been. And he cannot sense the familiar presence of another inside his chest. The presence he knew and accompanied him since he was nine years old.

 

 

_“I had a nightmare again…”_

_“Anakin…”_

_“I know how it sounds, but you said the same when I dream about my mother and that too became true… so, please, don´t say that this too will pass…” he implores, he cannot see her face this time, they only settle with hearing each other voices through the darkness of the room, the small green light of the activated device the only reassurance of their communication._

_“What did you dream about?” she asks, voice tired._

_“…Nothing. Just darkness. Emptiness. Pain…”_

_“Anakin, it´s late. I should be sleeping, so should you…”_

_“It was different, and I didn´t really see anything, Master” he continues, ignoring her plea “But I knew, I just knew it was about you, so, just, please… be careful…”_

_“Always.” She swears._

_There was a silence between the comm-lines._

_“Is there anything else you wanted to tell me, Anakin?”_

_Anakin can feel his heart beating against his chest. One beat. Two beats. Three beats._

_“When you are done doing what you are doing. And I´m done doing with I´m doing. And we both win our battles and I return back to the Temple. When I finally fall back onto the bed we both call home…” he trails off._

_Four beats. Five beats. Six beats._

_“… Yes?”_

_“…Will you be there too?”_

_There is an extended silence. And Anakin almost fears that the connection has being cut or the device has run out of charge when there is a small breath on the other end of the line._

_“I promise.”_

_She whispers through the night._

_“I promise I will always come back to you.”_

There were no more beats.

Obi-Wan was dead. Anakin wanted to be too.


	2. Clone Wars: Death (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An interlude of sorts and a nightmare filled with guilt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´m back from the dead. Enjoy.

**Chapter 2: Death (Part 2)**

Anakin woke with a startled gasp. He was staring up at what it look complete whiteness, he could hear numerous feet marching through heavy mud, the clanking of armor, the smell of rain and gunpowder but all he could see was white. His mind took its time to catch up with reality, slowed down in a state of semi-consciousness, what it finally made him feel his almost broken body was a sudden ache, the whole right side of his body was involved in a light sting that pulsate through his skin, he immediately knew that something wrong has happened.

It hit him like a falling starship crashing and burning to the surface of a planet.

He remembered the flames, the explosions, the screams of his men falling, dying. And then he remember the hole inside his chest. The emptiness and darkness that consume his mind as well as his body, leaving him like an empty vessel. He felt lost without the strong connection that he had grew to love since the day he got to form his bond with what is, without a doubt, the most important person in the galaxy.

“No…”

He knew that was him, but he didn´t hear his voice, didn´t recognized it. It was rough, course, filled with pain.

“No, no, no, no!”

Anakin started trashing against the mattress, almost convulsing under the pain and retrains of his own body that without the warm soft touch of his Master´s presence was nothing more than a carcass. There were fat hot tears against his eyes, they burned and traveled down his face leaving a trail of fire through his skin.

There were noises now, coming to him like a stampede of Banthas, but the respective sound of clink of armor alerted Anakin´s altered mind that they were clones, soldiers that came to his aid, their hands grasping both his arms and shoulders, trying to keep him down on the bed. The young man was pulling and pushing and hitting and kicking against them, he wanted to hurt somebody, he wanted them all to feel his pain and his grief, he wanted to choke the life out of them, like this Fore-forsaken war has sucked the life away from him. He almost did it too, he almost felt the pulse of the Force, powerful, demanding, strong, coiling around their throats, and he wanted so bad to end them. End them so thoughtfully and completely that there would not be any trace of their existence.

“Enough!” a sharp deep masculine voice shouted.

The troopers stopped with their grasping and the powerful order even made Anakin´s trashing cease.

“I will take care of this, you can go” the voice added a little bit closer to him now, even when the Padawan still couldn´t see the owner of such words.

The clones released him in a swift motion and started walking away from, what he assumed, was his cot. Anakin was breathing heavy, out of breath and painfully grasping the sheets beneath him.

“You need to calm down”

Anakin turned to see the tall and imposing figure of Quinlan Vos standing beside his bed, the kiffar was staring down at him with a lifted eyebrow, examining his weakened body with what it looked like pity.

“Quinlan…” the young Padawan gasped.

“It´s Master Vos, you little brat” the dark-skinned man ordered without real anger behind the words.

“What happened?” Anakin asked, voice still raspy.

Quinlan only buffed, as if suddenly tired. “What hasn´t happened exactly?” he inquired to himself. His dark eyes lower to stare directly to his “You have missed quite a bit, Skywalker. What it´s the last thing you remember?”

Anakin took a moment to order his thoughts, and faster than he thought, he found his eyes being watered by tears all over again, remembering his pain, his emptiness.

“I can´t... I can´t feel her anymore…” he gasped pathetically.

Quinlan sighed with what it seemed sadness over his hard features. He took a sit beside Anakin´s hip, relaxing a little over the cot.

“Yeah, I figured. Even though I hoped you would be able to sense her, if only a little…”

“Where is Obi-Wan?” Anakin cried “Please, Qui… Master Vos, please, tell me she it´s all right, tell me she is safe…”

The kiffar turned to see him with a tried expression, his right hand reaching as if to check some bandage over his shoulder, playing with the dressing with rough calloused fingers.

“I´m sorry, Anakin” he said, Anakin could sense his honesty “But she is gone.”

Anakin´s world came shuttering into million pieces. Suddenly his tears turned into wailing, and his voice whimpered until that too turned into loud screams of pain and agony. No, she couldn´t be dead. She couldn´t have left him like that. She promised. _She promised_.

“Calm down!” the older man commanded.

“No! No!” Anakin yelled “She cannot be gone, she is stronger than that! You have to look for her!” he said, grasping Quinlan´s arms like a maniac, pulling himself off the bed, pleading him to listen. “You have to find my Master, Vos! She is out there, hurt, somewhere, I know it!”

“Anakin, for Force sake, pull yourself together!” the Jedi Master exclaimed, losing his temper with the shaken appearance of the younger Jedi.

“You don´t understand, Quinlan…” Anakin whimpered.

“I do” the Jedi confessed “More than you think, I do. Obi-Wan was dear to me, she was my sister, we grew up together, I don´t want to accept her death any more than you do…”

 _“You have no idea, none”_ Anakin thought, almost getting angry at the sole mention of someone else daring to compare their affection towards his wife with his love for her. He didn´t know, no one did. They cannot know anything about his love for his Master, of how empty he was, of how hollow his body felt, he was no one without Obi-Wan´s love. And now she was gone. Gone forever.

“But you need to keep a clear head, now it´s not time to sit down and cry…” the kiffar told him with a pointed look “we have a war to win, when you are done with your mission you can have time to go back to the Temple and mourn all you need, now I need you to put yourself together if we are to take back this planet.”

“They can´t all burn in the Sith-hells for all I care!” Anakin barked, furious at the mention of Jabiim, at the memory of that desolated planet, if it was up to him, he would assault it´s lands until he laid them bare, wasted and free of any vestige of life. That hell has taken Obi-Wan from him, they could all burn with his pain as well.

A heavy hand pushed him down with duress, and smart black eyes were suddenly too close to his own blue ones, a spark of anger shining through them.

“Don´t you ever say that again” Quinlan threatened.

“Why not?” Anakin demanded “They deserve to die! All of them! Because of them Obi-Wan is dead! I don´t care what happen to their pathetic lives…”

“Control how you speak, you earworm!” the older man howl to his face, pulling him by his robes.

“It´s true!” he wailed.

Quinlan dropped him to the mattress, as if getting tired of his absurd words. Clucking his tongue in disgust. Quinlan Vos was no exemplar Jedi, even Anakin knew that, but even in his rashness the Jedi Master would never say something so bravely stupid.

“I don´t care how painful this turns out for you, Skywalker” the kiffar growled under his breath “You are a Jedi and you must do your part…”

Anakin didn´t respond, he only closed his eyes and curled over his bed, shaking in pain.

“I know it´s hard…” the Jedi Master added, his voice softening with tenderness “but you must go on, take the day, rest. We´ll talk tomorrow.” The kiffar added with a light pad on Anakin´s shoulder.

The younger Jedi didn´t respond, but slightly flinched at the touch of the hand, as if the contact with his skin was accompanied with a cruel intention.

With a last glance, Quinlan walked out of the tent.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The next time Anakin opened his eyes, it was the early morning. He knew it from the natural light that was beginning to filtrate from the opening of the tent. His eyes were dried and still hurting from the long hours of crying he spent doing last night, his throat felt sore and constricted, tided up by his own agony. He hadn´t moved from the cot in the entirety of the last day, his body ached for maintaining the same position and his unwillingness to move, but he didn´t care. Obi-Wan was dead, and with her every conviction and wish to act. He wasn´t ready to face the world and show his presence outside to the clone army, or to the Council, or to Quinlan, for that matter, but he knew that if he didn´t do anything they will come to get him off his ass, whether he wanted or not, and inside of his damaged mind he knew that even in his state he wasn´t up to allowing such humiliation.

So he got up from his cot, removed the bacta patches that the clones might have put over his slightly burned skin, result from the terrible explosion that has also taken Obi-Wan´s life. He bathed in the fresher unit, put on some robes and took his lightsaber, grasping it with both hands, staring down at the weapon accusingly.

_This weapon is your life._

Obi-Wan used to said that to him every time he managed to lose the piece of metal, which was a constant occurrence, now the sight of the shiny object only brought bitter memories to his head. Anakin wanted to break it in two with the pure sheer force of his hands.

Instead, the young Padawan clasped it tight on his belt and made his way out of the secluded tent, facing the truth.

Outside, the troops moved from one extreme to the other, marching and carrying out tasks mindlessly. He could see some of them arranging the weaponry, cleaning the stations or loading boxes of food and equipment in ships and tents, the usual sight of any other war camp in the galaxy, and that somewhat irritate him to no end. These men where Obi-Wan´s men, or used to be, at least. They followed her orders and stood behind her, to see them now, so calmly preforming their usual work without care for the fact that their General was gone of this life infuriated him. His whole world was gone, how could theirs still turning?

“So, you have finally show up, Skywalker”

A deep masculine voice took Anakin out of his thoughts, made him turn his head at the direction of the sound. Walking to him was Quinlan Vos, seemly ready and intimidating as always.

“Master Vos…” Anakin saluted, even when he was showing respect his voice still lingered with defiance and arrogance.

“Hm” the Jedi shrugged “It´s good to see you back on your feet, I was afraid I would have to make you stand up myself.”

“That won´t be necessary, Master.”

“So I see.” The man concedes “That´s good, considering that I will be leaving this junk of a planet and I need to leave everything in order before doing so.”

That definitely caught Anakin´s attention.

“Leaving?” the young man asked.

“Oh, yeah. Did you think I was here to stay? Pfff!” The kiffar huffed, almost insulted by the thought “Of course not. After the Council heard about Obi-Wan´s incident, they decided to send some back up, I´m just here to deliver them.”

Anakin winced at the mention of his Master´s name in another one´s lips and in such a casual manner, it made him shiver with discomfort and for a moment all he wanted to do it´s to punch Quinlan Vos´s face, but he controlled himself, thinking that it wouldn´t go too well.

“Them?”

“Yeah” the dark skinned man nodded, pointing a finger to his back. Anakin dared to follow the signal until he noticed a group of clocked figures standing in a big open carp, they all dressed like Jedi and Anakin could recollect some of their faces. “Skywalker, meet your new family” the man said with a mocking tone “This is the Padawan Pack.”

The Padawan Pack. He has heard of them before, of course. They were kind of famous. He himself had only heard stories before, it was a group of Padawan learners that had being left orphaned by the death of their Masters during the Clone Wars. He had never seen them before, but he had heard some gossip about them when he had some time at the Temple between missions, the Council has put them together since there was no time nor Masters available to take them in, especially since all of them were mostly adults and they could be of some use, to be part of the group was a fate no Padawan wanted to share, since it meant that you were left Masterless.

And now Anakin belonged to their lines. The sole verdict made him want to choke right there and then.

A soft and warm hand positioned on his right shoulder, taking him out of his musings.

“Anakin” Quinlan started, features back in complete seriousness “I know that what you have lived was terrible, and I´m sorry, I truly am, I was not lying when I said that the loss of Obi-Wan it´s too great; no one it´s expecting you to cheer up and move one just like that, believe me.” The kiffar added kindly “but we need you set and ready; there will be time, when this mission ends, time to recover and to process all of this madness, but before that we need to get this done. Is that all right with you?”

Anakin was aware that the Jedi Master was asking him a question, that he wasn´t ordering him to be okay with any of this, like a good soldier, like the Council probably would have. This was a kindness of some sort, but the blond Jedi couldn´t see it. What was he supposed to say? Yes? No? Did any of it made any difference? His life was shredded, and he couldn´t even say that. He couldn´t look Quinlan in the eye and confess to him that he had actually lost his wife, not only his Master. That he wanted to run straight to a battalion of Separatist droids so they can shoot him down and kill him as much as he wanted to switch on his lightsaber and cut them all to pieces for what they have done. He couldn´t tell him that he was hallow and broken and just about to tear himself and everything else in his path apart at any moment, that this mask of stony ice he has put his on his face was a lie, a pathetic lie. He was confused by the emptiness in his chest, but at the same time, so ready to entertain the possibility that Obi-Wan was still alive, somewhere, somehow.

The young apprentice clenched his fists in fury, hoping that the man didn´t catch up with his anger, he didn´t want to speak and give him a definitive answer, but he had to.

“Yes, Master.”

Quinlan gave him a long look, as if trying to read into the stoic expression of his eyes, seeking a second answer to his question, but deciding that he was not going to get anything from the young Jedi, he pursed his mouth and nodded with a light pat to Anakin´s shoulder.

“See you later then, Skywalker”

Anakin stared at him while the man walked away through the mud and the multitude of busy clones that move from one place to another of the camp.

 

 

* * *

 

 

It has been almost a week since the ´accident´ as the people called it when he was around. Apparently everyone was either scared of his possible reaction if Anakin catch them talking about it, or felt pity for him. They were right in the first stance, Anakin didn´t know how he would react to people gossiping about the death of his wife. He could either ignore them or strangle them, he didn´t know.

“Anakin…”

The Padawan woke up from his tumultuous mind, finally noting the presence and pleasant voice of Aubrie Wyn, one of the members of the Padawan Pack. The Jedi was young and beautiful, and it was, in some way, the closest member of the pack to Anakin, with her kindness and natural calm, it reminded him of his Master.

“Yes?”

“You seemed lost” the female warrior commented, handing him a cup of some heated substance. “You do have a tendency to get lost in your thoughts…”

Anakin took the gift with a serious expression on his face.

“Not really. It just that I´m tired of this blasted planet.”

Aubrie smiles sadly.

“Are you thinking about Master Obi-Wan again?” she wondered, taking a seat right beside him on the bench he occupied.

“I´m always thinking of her.”

“I miss her too.” She confessed, taking a sip from her own cup “I didn´t know her for long but she was kind and smart. And it was such a good general, I don´t think I could ever direct the way she did.”

Anakin didn´t say anything, this conversation wasn´t new to him, since the dead of Obi-Wan he has been quiet and solemn, most of the Padawan didn´t enquired much about it, after all, losing your Master wasn´t something easy to handle, it certainly wasn´t for any of them; after giving him their condolences for his lost the subject has been closed and moved with, even when Anakin hide inside his tent at every chance he got, and stared at the roof of his carp late in the night, thinking of his Master´s face, dreaming of touching her, kissing her again. He dream of her every night, he spent his time busying himself with any kind of mindless task for otherwise he would burst in tears and explode in fits of rage, so he was mostly quiet, deep in his thoughts. Aubrie has been the only one who has dared to actually converse with him about Obi-Wan, mostly because out of all the members of the pack, she was the one who actually knew his Master.

“She used to value my skills so much, you know” the Jedi continued, sending to him a soft look of compassion. “She said that I was really good with my healing abilities and that I have a bright future ahead.”

Anakin didn´t say anything again, it was not like he was going to snap at her for talking about his beloved partner, but he didn´t have anything to add to her tale, her words seemed truthful and he could imagine Obi-Wan complementing the young Jedi on her abilities just fine.

“Fighting beside her was an honor” she finalized, her voice was filled with conviction, and Anakin almost thought she was about to bow down to him in respect, as if he was Obi-Wan himself.

“It was an honor to be her Padawan” he finally admitted, nodding slightly at her show of deep regard.

Aubrie smiled with her pink lips, and her beauty, even when evident, was completely muted to Anakin´s eyes, he could see it all right, but his heart, as every part of him, belonged to Obi-Wan, even when she was not longer here.

“I heard…” she said, pausing with sudden insecurity, which was weird, she was mostly serious and outspoken.

“Yes?”

She gulped and send a look of doubt to him.

“I heard that you believe that Master Kenobi wasn´t dead…”

Anakin stared down at her for a quiet moment. He understood where this was coming from. There were rumors of him, of Anakin not accepting his Master´s death, and even when the young Padawan couldn´t feel her in the Force anymore there was this part of him that demanded him to believe that she could be alive. He tried to reason this with Quinlan, but the man said that it was not possible, after all, he couldn´t sense her either. She was gone. Anakin hadn´t seen her body, hadn´t even found her lightsaber, and even when he had seen her being in the middle of the explosion, he couldn´t fully accept her death without final proof.

“A part of me does.”

“But she is gone, Anakin” she underlines, flushed and almost surprised with his answer.

Anakin clenches his fists, holding his sudden powerful anger in line.

“You don´t know that!” he said harshly, standing up from his seat to pace around the tent, “No one knows…”

“You have read the report, no one could have survive that kind of explosion, and she was so close to it, it also got you partially burned” she explained. Anakin´s eyes quickly adverted his own body at the mention of his wounds. The burns have been already healed, there wasn´t even a trace of them on his skin anymore, they were minor and easily treated, but the Padawan did remember the ache and the burning sensation on the left side of his body.

“I don´t care” Anakin muttered. Still too angry to accept the complete dismissal of the possibility that Obi-Wan could be alive. He knew it was improbable, almost impossible, but something told him otherwise.

“Anakin…”

The Padawan didn´t respond, he simply made a negative gesture with his head and started to walk away, suddenly wanting to be alone.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

It was late, he knew. Tomorrow they will be facing battle, he should be asleep, or at least trying, but the darkness of the night and the cold air kept him awake. They have decided in a strategy, faulty as it was, but, unsurprisingly to him, the only option available for them. Anakin was going to lead the mission, he was, after all, the Padawan of the late Sith Killer, if there was someone who could come up with a plan to defeat the Separatist of Jabiim, he must be the one. Truth to be told, Anakin was excited, not because he was thrill to battle but because his internal, and all reproachable need for vengeance was like a fire burning through his veins. He wanted to destroy them all, it was the only thing keeping him sane at the moment, his need to see all those animals’ dead.

Anakin squeeze his eyes, trying to concentrate in resting instead of just the endless images of tomorrow or, worse, yesterday. When he felt confident that he could finally fall asleep he sense the soft puff of air of a delicate breath, it was warm and tender, not like the chilling and cruel feeling of the freezing atmosphere of the planet. Anakin opened his eyes to find Obi-Wan Kenobi staring back at him.

Anakin opened his eyes wide in sudden shock. His wife was lying beside him on his cot, dirty with dried mud and black ash all over her clear skin, her eyes were of an intense blue-ish grey, but there was no intelligent glance in them, not the signature intense presence of her stare, she was smiling, soft and delicate, as if her presence on his bed was natural, as she has being lying there the entire time.

“Obi…Obi-Wan” Anakin gasped, suddenly breathless.

“I missed you…”

It was her voice, the young man recognized, her soft yet firm voice that sent shivers down his spine, although this time he could distinguish the lack of life on her tone, she sounded distant, gone.

“I waited for you, but you never came…” she continued, her voice sounded sad and a little accusatory, but her tone was sweet, tender.

“I… I´m sorry, I just…” he muttered pathetically.

“Oh, I´m sure you are” she said with a soft chuckle. The bell-like sound almost made him whimper like a baby, to be able to hear her laugh again.

“This… how can you be here…?”

Anakin felt lost, he was sure he was trembling and shaking in fear and confusion. He traveled his eyes down her form just to make sure it was real, she was there, whole but hardly fine. Her clothes were ragged, she was bruised all over and she had so much dried blood painted on her skin, he could see wounds, scratches and lacerations, he wonder how much it had hurt and his hand stretched, as If to touch her.

“I waited and waited, Anakin” his wife muttered, snapping Anakin back to reality and to see her face, her eyes almost watering with tears of pain “I waited for you, hours, days and you never came… It hurt, I couldn´t move and it hurt, I was so cold, so cold.”

Anakin gasped in horror, almost recoiling from her and at the same time than fighting to touch her, to embrace her in his arms, but fearing it would only hurt her.

“It was so cold, Anakin…” she cried, sudden fresh blood coming out of her eyes in place of tears. “I tried to scream, to yell your name but you didn´t hear me, I scream until my throat run sore, until I had no voice, and then, then…”

“Please, no, Force…” he pleaded, horrified, tormented by the vision of his wife, gasping, crying, in terrible pain. “Shut up, please, no more, shut up…”

“You never came!” she yelled “You left me there to die! On my own! You killed me, Anakin! You killed me!”

“Shut up! Shut up!” the man screamed too.

“ _I hate you!”_

His hand flied in front of him, touching her face, framing her, trying to talk and make her understand, but then he realized she was dead cold. **_Dead cold_**.

“Noooooooooooooo!!!!” he screamed, suddenly jumping out of bed and gasping for air, flesh hand touching his chest, feeling the erratic movement of his own lungs.

All of a sudden, a small collection of people rushed into the tent, clones and a couple of the Jedi members of the Padawan Pack, between them, Aubrie, saber in hand and eyes open wide, ready to battle.

Anakin stared at them and quickly turned to check the right hand of the bed, where Obi-Wan was previously lying, crying and screaming, there was nothing.

It was a dream, it was all a dream.

No, a _nightmare_.

She was never there, has never been there.

“Anakin…”

Aubrie´s voice took him out of his musings, snapping his head back at the entrance, where the small army of men stood quietly, not knowing what to do next. His hands were gripping the cold sheets of the cot with unnecessary strength, and his cheeks suddenly felt damp and wet with tears that dripped down his eyes without permission.

“I… I just…”

Aubrie seemed to understand whatever silent plea he was attempting to request, she relaxed her tense posture of battle and turn to the people at the door.

“It´s okay, you can all go back to sleep, I will deal with this…” she commanded.

The people started moving still unsure of what was happening around them, the Jedi sent her a questioning look but brown haired apprentice only shake her head and sent a reassuring wave of soft emotion through the Force, after a couple of beats they started walking out the tent without much effort.

Once, Anakin and Aubrie were alone, the female Jedi walked closer to the cot until she reached the edge and took a seat with a deep sigh.

“Are you okay, Anakin?” she asked, unsure of his state.

The young man was still shaken from his nightmare but his tight grip on the sheets has eased and his posture wasn´t the one of a terrified animal anymore. He exhaled and accommodate himself beside the female warrior.

“So?” she repeated, looking at him with inviting eyes.

“I had a dream…”

“I can see that”

“It wasn´t the regular dream” he explained, gripping the bridge of his nose with his flesh hand, trying to concentrate in reality and not in the vision of Obi-Wan´s dead eyes or ice cold skin.

“It was about your Master, wasn´t it?” Aubrie questioned “You dreamed about her death?”

“It wasn´t exactly like that.” The blonde muttered, still seeing images of Obi-Wan´s face, red with blood and her voice, it was strained, screaming, horrifying.

“It´s fine” she said, carefully touching his back in a gesture of sympathy “We all do. Dreaming about our Masters, seeing them die.”

“It wasn´t her death…” Anakin whispered, voice low and exasperated “I saw her here, on my bed, screaming, yelling…”

The young Padawan stood up, started pacing around the tent like a maniac, suddenly hyperactive and about to burst into tears, into desperate screaming.

“Skywalker…” the woman said, trying to calm him down.

“She was gasping and looking at me with so much hate. She told me I let her die!” Anakin exclaimed, his eyes watering again at the memory of his wife in so much pain, pain because of his failures. “She is right! I was there, I could have saved her and all I did is kill her!”

“Anakin!” Aubrie called, standing up and pinning him down with a surprised look.

“I…I…”

Aubrie came closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder, grounding him. Jedi weren´t big on affection, they didn´t touch and they rarely comfort one another, but they weren´t insensible either, their ways were distant and detached but not cruel and unhuman, but Anakin didn´t need that, he needed embraces and warmth, the kind of affections that his mother used to offer, or Padmé or Obi-Wan, but they were all gone, far away from his grasp and the thought almost broke him down in million pieces, he couldn´t do this, he really couldn´t do this anymore.

He couldn´t live a life that had no Obi-Wan in it, couldn´t fight a war without a purpose to go back home. He didn´t have a home anymore. He was alone, alone and desperate.

“Go back to bed” the woman requested.

“No, I can´t” Anakin whispered “I will only see her again. I can´t do that, I cannot see that nightmare again…”

“You won´t. I will put you in a sleeping trance. You won´t dream a thing.”

Anakin didn´t need to sleep anymore to see nightmares, he wanted to tell her, he could see his Master´s dead face behind his eyelids with just blinking while awake, it will never go away from his mind, but he decided to obey.

When his head hit the pillow, Aubrie came close to him, positioning her warm hand over his forehead, the touch was soft and careful, designed to sooth him and calm him. A strong wave in the Force quickly assaulted his head, and he could sense a quiet voice in the back of his mind, telling him to sleep.

His eyes closed to embrace the darkness, but not before capturing the sight of Obi-Wan´s face looking down at him where Aubrie´s was supposed to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im sorry is short and a little bit of a filler, but Im feeling a bit depress for the moment and I didn´t want to make you wait much longer, please enjoy.


	3. Clone Wars: Death (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Friendships form and Nightmares return

**Chapter 3: Death (part 3)**

The rain was as suffocating as smoke, Anakin mused; the never ending weather got on the Padawan´s nerves but he decided not to comment on it, trying to avoid being perceived as a whiny brat, bad enough was his constant nightmares and the furtive looks that some clones and fellow Padawans keep sending him from time to time when they thought he wasn´t looking, as if he was a bomb that it was about to explode at minimum provocation.

He has been staring at the falling rain for the duration of the so called meeting, all the members of the Padawan Pack were reunited under a tent, discussing the strategy that they were about to use in just the next hour, when the battle finally begins. Anakin was excited by the prospect of fighting, of ending things in this desolate ball of mud, but he was also terribly worried and conflicted by his role in things. Although the battle promised to be thick and difficult, his fellow comrades had asked him to stay behind and occupied himself with positioning some land mines around the zone as a safety strategy, the rest of them were going to be in the heart of the battle and the lines, facing the droids and the troops of the Separatists forces. It was risky, and in Anakin´s opinion, suicidal, but it was the only way they could accomplish something judging by their counted resources. But still, knowing all of this, Anakin didn´t like it.

“You are daydreaming again, Anakin”

The blond Jedi turned from the opening of the tent to capture the image of Aubrie standing by the tactictal table, staring back at him with an easy smirk.

“I´m sorry, I got lost in my thoughts”  _Again._ Anakin almost added.

“You seemed to do that a lot” Tae Diath remarked.

Tae Diath was a human male Padawan with who Anakin has formed a strange relationship, they were friendly towards each other but they were both too absorbed by their own respective grief of their Masters passings that didn´t talk a lot to the other members of the group. They were something of outcasts.

“Though, for what I can remember from our Créche days, you weren´t all that different back then. Maybe a little bit more cheerful.” Kass Tod added with a gentle smile on her lips, the Zabrak was one of the few that Anakin recognized instantly when he was added to the Pack, they were around the same age and knew each other from previous interactions when they were younglings.

“I was a child then” Anakin responded, trying to not sound too forceful.

“We all were” Mak Lotor answered, sighing under his breath. The blond human male was the oldest of the group and he seemed to be permanently tired of the war. A sentiment that Anakin could share.

“So what´s the final plan?” Anakin enquired, trying to distance the discussion from the melancholic rute that had taken.

There was a small silence that was ultimately broken by Aubrie´s voice.

“Well, we were deciding that, we have reasoned to stick with the original strategy. We want you to plant the land mines around the zone to secure no retreats from the Separatist forces once they are inside the design perimeter, and then you can join us in the general fight zone.”

“Wouldn´t that be tremendously dangerous?”

“Well, yes” the brown haired woman nodded “but our own forces are decimated, and the only way to get to Straus is…”

“…going for the kill” Anakin finished with a nod and crossing his arms over his chest.

“Indeed.”

“You will be taking a group of clones with you to help you plant the mines faster while we distract the enemy forces” Tae complemented scratching the back of his head, fingers tangled in his white hair.

“I think that settles it, then” Aubrie said while taking her lightsaber, which was laying on the table, and started to leave the tent without looking back.

Anakin was about to follow her out when he spared a glance at the corner of the tent, there, in one distant corner was Zule Xiss, a Falleen Padawan, she, besides Aubrie and Kass, was one of the few members of the group that he recognized from days past, he had actually participated in the mission where she lost her Master alongside with Obi-Wan, and he could said that the woman was even more grumpy and distant that she already was back then.

The red skinned woman sent his look back.

“Missing your Master, Skywalker?” she almost snarled mockingly.

Anakin´s brow twitched, suddenly feeling anger boiling inside his gut.

“Careful, Xiss…” he growled under his breath “I don´t know what it´s your problem but I don´t like your tone…”

The woman buffed with false exaggeration.

“Give me a break, oh, Chosen One” she snorted with a dry laugh “I would have given anything to be the one to kill my own Master, would you tell me you never felt the same way towards your own?”

Anakin almost draw out his lightsaber right then, ready to strike her down where the woman stood, how dare she assume anything about him and his Master that way? Especially, when Obi-Wan was one of the people who helped Zule getting through her Master´s loss. Anakin didn´t agree with Obi-Wan all the time, the Force knew that he didn´t agree with her not even half the time, but he could never fathom the possibility of hurting her, let alone kill her.

“Watch your tongue!” Anakin threatened, walking towards her a couple of steps.

“We all know the story, Anakin” the red skinned woman teased, not backing away from her own aggressive stance “of how hard was for Master Kenobi to train you, to even take you in. After all, weren´t you around nine years old when she met you?”

The blond Padawan paled at her words. His conditions and his upbringing weren´t a secret around the Temple, and he tried to not let his past be a shameful stain on his record or his life, but every time he walked away from it, people like Xiss brought it back with a vengeance. Obi-Wan was always a respectful and kind Master, if a little distant, but she has never judged him for being a slave, and never mentioned or treated him differently because he was too old for training; he knew that Zule was trying to work him out, bitter about the fact that she had a Master she couldn´t get along with while Anakin had a tender and famous one who love him, love him more than any of them would ever know.

“Do not talk about Obi-Wan!” he snarled, getting on her face, challenging her to say something more, he was more than ready to strike her down.

“She didn´t want you and that´s the truth!”

“Shut up! You don´t know anything about us, about her!”

“Oh? It´s an ´us´ now?”

“Enough!”

A deep powerful voice resonated in the tent, taking them both out of their hostile talk. Anakin turned to the entrance of the tent, looking at the figure of Mak Lotor, who had, apparently, returned with the rest of the pack at the noise that probably they were making with their heated discussion. The young man was too angry to be ashamed, Zule was wrong, she had crossed the line and had no right to bring Obi-Wan into the discussion into her self-pitty circus, he wasn´t going to back down when it came to defend his wife.

“I could hear your bickering from the other side of the camp” the older Jedi muttered with clear disapproval.

“She shouldn´t have mentioned my Master…” Anakin spat, not waiting for the other Padawans reaction before finally walking away.

Aubrie followed him out, sending a significant look at the others. The blond Padawan didn´t care, he walked away and kept going, feeling the dragon inside his chest, roaring, threatening to burn everything to ashes.

“Anakin…” she pleaded, following him with a soft voice. He didn´t stop.

The young man walked into his own tent, pacing around like a cage animal, Aubrie entered quietly, folding her arms over her chest, looking at him while he step around, breathing heavily.

“If Mak hadn´t step in, I could have sworn you two would have kill each other” the female Padawan commented.

“I should have”

“Don´t say things like that. You know she is angry, she is just trying to work you out.”

“Well, it worked.” Anakin spitted “She dared to talk about my Master. Like she had the right…!”

“Anakin…” Aubrie whispered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

The man stopped and took a seat on the bed, trying to calm himself down like Obi-Wan would told him to do in this situation. He needed her, Force, he needed her so much. Needed her calm presence, her words, her peace to show him the way, and he felt equally ashamed and wishful for admitting it as much.

“Don´t you think that maybe she got under your skin for a reason?”

Anakin lifted his fallen head to look at Aubrie, she seemed to look at him with a pointed look, the same kind of look Obi-Wan, Mace Windu and other Masters gave him when he was being particularly obtuse.

“What do you mean?”

“Well…” she sighed, coming closer to him “maybe you are too attached to her, for instance.”

“She was being insolent.” Anakin corrected, getting defensive.

“Maybe, but you were quick to anger”

“She was insulting Obi-Wan´s memory!”

“She was being petty and cruel, but you gave her room and arguments to question your relationship with her” Aubrie clarified, taking a seat next to him.

Anakin looked at her with more than just anger in his eyes, but listen to her words before reacting. He was shocked, so much so that words fail him.

“I do not doubt of Master Kenobi´s integrity and I don´t want to doubt yours” the female healer said, softening her voice “we all know that losing our Masters is not easy to handle but… having night terrors?” she questioned, staring at him with confusion “isolating from the group, being openly hostile with other Jedi? Is that normal, Anakin?”

The young man didn´t answer. Yes was the right answer but then again not. They were Jedi, of course this kind of behavior wasn´t normal to them, they were trained to move on from emotions, to look past their own feelings and not to brood in them. But Anakin wasn´t built that way, and his relationship with his Master was far from the usual one. They were married, not that anybody knew about that, they were in love and their feelings for each other ran deeper than any of them could ever imagine. Zule mocked him and taunt him about Obi-Wan because she noticed Anakin´s mood change, his nightmares, his excuses, his behavior. Kriff, they could even sense it in the Force. The male Jedi tried to hide his feelings and keep his composure in front of them and the clones, but the Padawans could feel his emotions filtrating out from his trembling shields, or how many times he spent alone, secluded inside his tent, away from the rest of them.

“Whatever relationship you had with your Master is none of my business, neither is Zule´s, but I think we should focus in the future instead of the past, wouldn´t you say?” she said with a gentle smile, padding his shoulder as a friendly gesture.

Anakin didn´t believe in that, but he could see the sense in it.

“I can try” he finally whispered, without force and without conviction, but granted none the less.

“Then, let´s go” she said, suddenly and cheerfully. “We have some Seps to defeat and a planet to take back.”

 

 

  

* * *

 

 

 

“That was the last one, Sir” a clone trooper said with finality.

“That is good. I was growing tired of waiting here.”

He is being busy burying land mines all over the perimeter, staring at the distance trying to catch any sign of battle or enemy forces. They have being battling for a while now, and the young Padawan could see the smoke of the fight from his position at the borders; he is being doing his lot, as instructed, but has being growing anxious and impatient for joining his fellow comrades.

Anakin hated this planet, it represented everything wrong with this war, and since he had lost his Master, and alongside her his purpose, the only thing left for him was his thirst for vengeance. He has grown irritated with his absence from the battlefield, his common sense kept telling him that it was much a lost cause, if he got into the warzone he would most likely get killed, but he needed this. Needed to put an end to that scum who had stolen away from him the only person that mattered, he was more than ready to let himself go with his rage, he was ready to die too if needed, nothing would get between his need to appease the dragon inside his chest.

“Let´s go!” Anakin instructed.

Just before he could get on his speeder-bike, his comm unit bleeped with an insistent sound, telling him that he had an urgent call. He silently wondered if any of his new ´friends´ were already requesting his aid and his return before taking the device out on the palm of his hand and answering.

“Anakin, my dear boy…”

The voice and projected image wasn´t of any of the other members of the Padawan Pack at all, not even a Clone Commander asking for his help. It was, surprisingly, Chancellor Palpatine.

“Chancellor…” Anakin saluted, bowing his head slightly and betraying surprise and confusion in his voice.

“Oh, Anakin, I´m glad to find you well, after I hear the terrible bearings of Jabiim, I feared the worst…” The elderly man explained, with concern painted on his features.

“I´m well, Chancellor. I´m currently taking care of the situation.”

“That´s what I´m worried about, my boy” the politician answered “I´m asking you to retire from the battle and recalling you back to Coruscant.”

Anakin almost snorted at the words, but his face must have paled instead, because he could feel the blood in his head abandoning him for a moment. Palpatine was a powerful man, the most powerful man in the galaxy in fact, but he wasn´t involved with the tactics and strategy of the military or the Jedi. His call and suggestion was as surprising as it was ridiculous.

“I´m afraid sir, that I do not understand” Anakin confessed.

“You have being resigned, my boy.” The man clarified.

“I haven´t been informed of such order” the Padawan rectified “My orders were very clear, Sir. I must stay in the planet and help the loyalist forces to expel and defeat the Separatist of Jabiim.”

“And I´m glad that you have taken your job seriously, Anakin. This only demonstrates your strength of character and your ability to command. But, I´m afraid, that things had change. I must ask for your immediate retreat as a new order, and to return to Coruscant as soon as possible.”

Anakin frowned with confusion. The whole situation was absurd. The Chanchellor did have the power to command such an order, but he found it extremely suspicious and sudden that he would comm him in the middle of the battle to give him indications.

“My apologies, Sir” Anakin said with a bow “But I cannot abandon my post, I´m currently in the middle of a battle and I must attend my duties.”

Anakin´s voice sounded formal and restrained, for a moment, he reminded himself he was a Jedi. First and foremost. It was that knowledge what has kept him for falling to pieces after the death of his Master, it was that sentiment which has inspire him to complete this mission to its end, to ignore the ache, the pain and to evade all thoughts that sent him back into re-watching the terrible scene of Obi-Wan´s last moments inside his head. He had a duty, but most importantly, he had a purpose: vengeance.

“Anakin, surely you know this is a lost battle” the politician added, trying to reason.

“It´s not until it´s done” the Padawan muttered, feeling his anger rising again, not against the Chancellor, but against the enemy, who was still alive.

“I must insist, my boy. I would hate to see you hurt, or even worse, to hear a report of your loss.”

“You will not, Chancellor. I will finish this.”

With that last sentence, Anakin ended the call and got on his bike, more ready than ever; the clones followed suit, after noticing that their Commander was done with his personal call. They drove through he depressing and devastated landscape of Jabiim, approaching the zone where they knew the battle was the thickest, where the smoke raised from the ground to the clouded sky, where fire and the sound of blasters and explosives resonated even at the distance.

Anakin jumped from his transport the minute he was close enough to the enemy, he turned on his lightsaber in a quick movement of his wrist and ran through the droids around him like landslide. He moved like a storm, unstoppable and precise, abolishing every enemy, blocking every attack, not missing a single beat or second of a possible great battle.

 _“You all deserve to die!”_  Anakin thought while he slashed through the lines. His anger wasn´t pushed down anymore, his fury was evident and palpable. The fire of his rage melted down his shields, permitting himself to feel fully, to hate fully after so much time.

He hated them all like he hated the Tuskens that had taken his mother, he hated them more than them, even. Because they have destroyed what little remained of his happiness. They have shot down all hope, all light. They have killed his wife, and for the first time since he had awaken from that terrible day, wounded and lonely, realizing that his other half was gone, possibly forever, he understood.

With an extended hand, he pushed the droids away from him, lifted them in the air and crushed them to pieces, using the Force with so much anger, so much violence, that even Anakin felt the agony of his actions. His limbs shake with the energy, his bones vibrated with the pressure of his own power.

A man, a Jabiim rebel, one of the many that had sided with the Separatist forces came at him, yelling, trying to attack him. Anakin growled immersed in his avalanche of disgust, his hand quickly moving at the man to grasp him. The Force took shape under his command until the man was no longer moving, he was floating. Levitating in the air by the grasp of an invisible choke. Anakin was squeezing the life out of him, and it felt good.

This insignificant insect has dared to defy him, to end him. But he wasn´t ready for Anakin´s power. Droids were pieces of metal, they were designed and programmed to obey, to follow without distinction, but this being was human. Made of flesh and bone, and capable of his own decisions, and that made something ugly inside Anakin snap. How dare he? He, who is little and pathetic and unimportant, to challenge him? He joined the Separatist forces on his own volition, he had taken weapons against his own people, and, in a way, against Obi-Wan too, because of people like him, Anakin needed to come to this hell of a world, because of him Obi-Wan had to fight, and hurt and die, and now his life, his useless life was in Anakin´s hands. That was justice. The Padawan bowed to end him right there and then. This was it, he decided. He would demolished him to pieces, to ashes, until there was nothing left to find. Until Anakin was satisfied, until he didn´t feel anything, not even this pain inside his chest, not even the love he had from his wife.

_“Anakin, Stop!”_

He gasped.

Obi-Wan´s voice screamed inside his head, taking him out of his blind fury.

He let his hand fall, and with it, his hold on the man´s throat.

The Padawan placed both his hands on his head, breathing heavily and erratically. Not trusting what he just heard, but before he could process anything else, there was another voice.

“Anakin, dodge!”

The young man obeyed like a slave. He fell down to his knees and in that instant, Aubrie appeared from thin air and flew over his head, covering him from a direct attack from a Separatist enemy with her lightsaber.

“Come on!” she invited, taking him by his arm and pulling him upwards, making him run alongside with her.

The blond apprentice was speechless, incapable to think, feel or reason anything at all. Obi-Wan´s voice, however probably just a wild invention of his own imagination, remained inside his mind, screaming at him, trying to get him out of his temporary insanity. It worked, of course, but now he was so hopelessly lost that he didn´t know what to do with himself.

“Anakin! I need you here!” Aubrie begged, shaking him out of his thoughts.

The male Jedi came back to reality just in time to stare at the spectacular mess around him, droids and people battling each other, and Aubrie pulling at him to move, to run. He did.

With long and fast legs, Anakin took her hand and run beside her, away from the thick conflict, directing himself at his abandoned speeder bike, realizing that the female force user wanted to escape.

“And why are we running exactly?” the man questioned between slashing his lightsaber between the lines of enemies, cutting the droids in half.

“We need to retreat…” the woman explained, sounding breathless and imitating Anakin´s movements with her lightsaber “We are not winning today, I´m afraid.”

“Of course…” Anakin scoffed tiredly.

Anakin took her hand in his own again, searching the minimum opportunity of escape, he grasped it tightly and took his leave when he found an opening, getting her on the speeder-bike alongside with him and charging forward.

While they moved and tried to get away from the war, Aubrie pulled a blaster from her belt, almost making Anakin chuckle with the occurrence, seeing a Jedi holding a gun was one of the weirdest things, she started firing while she grasped Anakin´s shoulder with one of her hands, trying not to get out of balance and irredeemably falling off the bike.

“Very resourceful” the Jedi muttered.

“You’d be surprised” Aubrie responded. The blond man could hear the smirk even in her voice.

Anakin focused in flying, not stopping to stare at his back and only moving side to side to dodge blaster bolts and enemies that got in the way. He trusted Aubrie with her capabilities and buried his doubts inside his head, trying to focus in the now, as Qui-Gon would have said. He smirked, remembering the late Jedi Knight, suddenly wishing he could have gotten more time in his company.

When they were out of range from the battle, Anakin felt that he could finally breathe, but he didn´t stop. He kept moving. He could hear the distinguish noises of ships flying ahead, of the clones retreating alongside with them and the male Jedi seemed to wonder what had happened for all of them to abandon the battle.

It took them a while to reach the camp, the sun was almost hidden and the darkness was creeping through, enclosing them, Anakin could sense the beginning of another storm coming their way and the young apprentice almost cursed at the thought. One more cold night of dark dreams running through his head, one more blasted night of preparing for another fight. He was almost considering to take the Chancellor by his word and leave the planet behind for good.

Anakin parked the speeder bike in one of the temporary hangars that the clones had set up for them, getting off the transport and inspecting the vehicle for any possible damage done by the blaster bolts, Aubrie was pulling her wet robe around her tightly, appearing rather chilly with the cold breeze.

“I think it´s better if we seek warmth and shelter inside of the tents, don´t you think?” Anakin invited.

Aubrie smiled kindly, as if thanking him for noticing her discomfort.

“You go ahead” Anakin told her “Change clothes, I will get the bike set and ready for tomorrow…”

The woman nodded and started walking away.

Anakin sighed and got busy with his work.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“You took your time…”

Anakin just entered the communal tent to find Aubrie, who was all dress in new robes, smiling at him from her seat in an improvised couch, holding a warm cup of some liquid in her right hand. Alongside her, two other members of the Padawan Pack laid on the floor, close to a heating unit that Anakin suspected was brought by the clones to keep the warriors comfortable.

“I got carried away, the bike needed some fixing and then I made sure the clones were back and settle” Anakin explained.

“Of course” she muttered.

The young man inspected the place; there was some rations laying on the floor, next to the forms of his comrades, he didn´t see anyone else around, but a couple of tables that were moved to the corners to leave some space and a couple of holocrons laying carelessly in equal measure. The young apprentice felt out of place, all of a sudden, the atmosphere was heavy and melancholic, so much so, that Anakin could taste the bitterness on his tongue, as I he had eaten something sour.

“Why did we retreat?” Anakin asked to Aubrie, although the question was open to any of the others. They didn´t even stir from their positions.

The female Jedi seemed to think about it for a while, taking her time to answer.

“We lost most of the clones” she confessed “They had more weapons that we foresaw. We couldn´t keep up the fighting, we´d all have died.”

“And where are the others?”

Aubrie grew quiet all of a sudden. But Anakin could see the answer in her eyes, they were all gone. It was hard to imagine that all that was left of the Padawan Pack was the three people laying beneath the tent and, of course, himself. The young man felt breathless for an instant, it has seemed to him that they would pull it off, even against the greatest odds; they were survivors, and Anakin liked to think that the Force wouldn´t have spare them when it had taken their Masters lives if they didn´t have a purpose left in this world. The blond Jedi didn´t want to think that all this time their fate had always been dying either way. Mak, Kass, Tae, Elora, even Zule, they were all dead now. The only ones left were Windo, Vaabesh, Aubrie and him. Anakin almost thought that the Chancellor was right: It is a lost battle.

Staring at the depressing demure that Aubrie wore on her tired face, Anakin suddenly felt compelled to relief her obvious low spirits.

“Aubrie”

The young woman raised her head with a questioning look.

“Follow me”

The woman seemed to hesitate at the sudden command, but ultimately stood up to follow the blonde man out of the tent, Anakin strode out with a decisive posture, sensing that the healer was tracing his steps. The Padawan smirked to himself when he spotted her on his back, he walked through the camp and the mud until he reached the far end of the campsite, away from the tents and the peering eyes of the clones, he reached the dense vegetation that Jabiim possessed all over its soiled ground and waited for the female Jedi to catch up to him.

“Where are you taking me, Skywalker?” she wondered, lifting a smart eyebrow.

The boy smirked mischievously.

“Don´t ask. Just follow” he invited “we are nearly there…”

The woman shrugged as if convincing herself that Anakin´s reasons were worth the try, so they were soon walking through the thick jungle of plants and rainy forest, feeing and climbing the uneven ground of the place, the female healer was more than tired and didn´t really want to go into a little surprise trip in the middle of the woods, but she sensed that Anakin´s intentions, whatever they are, were good. All of a sudden, Anakin grasped one of her hands on one of his, realizing that the woman was exhausted and was dangerously tripping through the branches and rocks they found along their way. The woman was glad for the help.

After a short while and a small trip up a hill, they reached a small clear right on the top, not really far from the campsite as the male Padawan had promised.

There was a small river that was surrounded by tall trees, Aubrie almost grew breathless. She turned to find Anakin staring at her and smirking, lowering himself won the bank of water and inviting her to do the same.

“It seems you haven´t noticed” the young man told her “The rain has stopped and the sun has come out…”

Aubrie gasped in surprise and turn to stare at the sky. Indeed, in between some of the grey clouds, there was the unmatched rays of the sun showing through for the first time that they have come to that planet.

“I really didn’t” she confessed while taking a seat beside him.

“I thought you needed some air” Anakin added, making her look at him again “You seemed depressed for the loss of the others, I didn´t want you to feel that way anymore.”

Anakin wasn´t as close to them as Aubrie was. He didn´t feel attached to their lives, although they were somewhat his family. They were all Jedi, just like him. And the Order was their home, the Force was their creator and they were its children. Which made them brothers and sisters. Anakin has never felt completely comfortable with that knowledge, he had a mother and a life before the Order, he didn´t relate with them as much as he did with Padmé, Obi-Wan or even R2. But when someone, be it Straus, Dooku or the Separatist as a whole came to harm any of them, it was personal for all of them. It felt as if they have attacked Anakin himself.

“What happened in the battlefield, by the way?” Aubrie asked.

Anakin got out of his thoughts at the sound of her voice.

“What do you mean?”

“I saw you. You were holding your head between your hands, you seemed distress.” The woman added, playing with the tiny grass that rested around her boots “I had to jumped over your to saved you from a fatal shot, remember?”

Anakin suddenly rewinded the battle inside his head, recalling the scene. Obi-Wan´s voice calling at him while he was about to murder that Separatist sider, the thrill of battle, the thirst of vengeance. It made him shudder just to remember it.

“It was nothing…”

“Don´t do that” Aubrie admonished “Don´t lie to me. I like to think we are better than that at this point.” The woman said with a humorless chuckle.

“We are” he reassured, smiling back at her and holding her hand in an unexpected move from his part, it felt natural to trust her after what they have been through.

“Then, what it´s the problem?” she asked, dropping his hold.

Anakin kept quiet, trying to decide if the confession would be looked over and taken as the words of a lunatic, of a still grieving man.

“I don´t want to scare you” he said, still too unsure.

She laughed.

“No more than you already have, I hope.” The woman joked “I can feel you struggling against your own shields, Anakin. You do that all the time, you know, it used to drive Tae mad.”

Anakin was suddenly perplex “Really?”

“Oh, yes. He used to complain that he couldn´t think straight when you were in the room, you projected your emotions too strongly; he could feel you grieving your Master for a mile away. It made him feel equally depressed.”

“I didn´t know that” Anakin said “I always thought he was that kind of melancholic.” He snorted.

“No. It was all you.”

A silence befallen them like a cloak, it was pleasant. Anakin felt saved and identified for a change, feeling he had a friend to connect with again, almost thinking that he could stop trying to reach Padmé to talk about it. He hadn´t heard from the Senator for so long now, but he didn´t feel ready to open up with her, he didn´t want to hear the pity words and to see her lovely face to just realized she wasn´t really there next to him to console him. But, for a moment, he could feel that Aubrie could. That she could understand.

“I heard Obi-Wan.”

Aubrie´s head snapped so fast at the statement that Anakin almost worried she would snap her own head.

“What?”

“I know how it sounds, I really do.” The young Padawan reiterated “When I was fighting, I was so angry that I was allowing my emotions to control me. I heard Obi-Wan´s voice inside my head, telling me to stop. It wasn´t like a hallucination, I could sense her Force signature, even for a tiny moment.”

“That´s not possible.”

“It shouldn´t be, but it happened.” The man fixed, whispering with caution. “I couldn´t believe it at first, but it was so real.”

Aubrie stared at him for a moment, he could feel her trying not to chastise him, to just tell him he was being absurd. Anakin wanted to take back his words, realizing that she, like the others, wouldn´t understand after all.

“I believe you.”

Anakin looked at her with wide eyes, she was dead serious, brown eyes glued at his blue ones, they weren´t mocking nor condescending, those were the eyes of someone who believed him, who trust him. Anakin wanted to hug her tight.

“I didn´t know much about Master Kenobi” she continued, softly. “She seemed like a nice person, a great Jedi, certainly, but I didn´t know her. You did.” She said with a shrugged. Anakin could see how much it cost her to admit those words, it wasn´t a Jedi thing to believe in ghosts, but she did for the sake of him. “If you say you could sense her then I´m more incline to take your word for it.” She said with a smile.

Anakin mirrored her expression, feeling as if an enormous weight has being lifted off his shoulders. He wasn´t ready to share his real relationship with Aubrie, probably never would, he wasn´t ashamed of being Obi-Wan´s husband, he was actually proud of it, but he knew that what they did was against the Code, it was plain attachment, and even when he didn´t consider it wrong as the rules and the Council did, if the information found its way into the public, he knew that it would be considered a stain in Obi-Wan´s character. He would never do that to her. He wanted the world to see her like he did, as the beautiful, smart and wonderful woman and legendary Jedi that she was. That she  _is_.

“Thank you” he said with honesty

She smiled kindly.

“What do you plan on doing?” she asked.

“For now, trying to end Straus.” He bowed, the anger raising again.

“And after that?”

Anakin falls into silence at the question. He is unsure of the future. A future without Obi-Wan? Without sleeping beside her beautiful form? Without waking up touching her delicate skin, tasting her soft lips, to stare at her peaceful smile? He wasn´t sure he could live in a world like that. It was unthinkable, it was frightening. It was dark.

“We´ll see…” he answered.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

It was another nightmare, he could tell. He could feel the heavy weight of another body next to him on the bed, could hear another set of breathing, feel it against his skin, he could taste the change in the air. It made him tremble.

“Anakin…” the voice whispered.

The young Padawan tried to ignore it. Maybe it will go away if he did. It wasn´t real either way, it wasn´t Obi-Wan who laid alongside him, it wasn´t his wife who called his name. It wasn´t her.

“Anakin…” the voice begged again.

The torture provided by his own mind continued assaulting him. He wish it will just go away. He didn´t want to hear her crying, screaming again that she hated him. That it was all his fault.

“ _It isn´t. It wasn´t my fault. I couldn´t do anything, it was not within my power. Please, forgive me, please stop!”_ he thought to himself, trying to stop her for calling again, trying to grasp back even a tiniest sense of sanity, to liberate his soul for the torment to hear his wife curse at him, to blame him and for him to actually believe it.

He must be strong, the battle was far from over, and if what he felt was real, if it was Obi-Wan who called to him in the middle of the battle, that meant that she was alive, somewhere out there, alive and calling. Not here, on his bed, during a nightmare.

“Anakin…” the voice repeated.

Anakin didn´t turn. Anakin didn´t open his eyes.

“I love you…” she whispered.

He whimpered and finally let go of the hold over his emotions, losing all self-control he turned on the bed, gasping at the sight of the battered appearance of his wife. She was bruised all over, she seemed too thin, more than he has ever seen her to be and her eyes were adorned with bags that contrasted with the pale of her skin. Her bottom lip was swollen and bleeding, her hair was a tangle of dirt and burnt edges, she had scrapings all over her face. But she was smiling, smiling so openly, so truthfully. Smiling to him.

“I love you…” she bowed.

Anakin reached to her, to touch her and she suddenly disappeared.

His hand fell onto the soft covers of the bed, his breathing ragged and heavy, new tears emerging over the corners of his eyes. The young Padawan stood up all of a sudden and marched to reach for his robe and his lightsaber. He grasped his weapon with decision, staring at him with a firm disposition. His eyes shined with a peculiar light, there was no doubt anymore, and despise his own tears. He wasn´t sleep, he was haunted, and now he understood that. Haunted by the ghost of someone who wasn´t dead. Anakin was convince of this now.

The man put on his outer robe, only stopping to clasping his belt over his night tunics and putting his lightsaber on his place. With a last look at the abandoned cold bed, he stormed out of his tent.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Somewhere, in the middle of a damp dark dungeon, hanged a battered Jedi. There were chains holding the body up, the air was humid and warm, making breathing difficult. The roof was adorned with numerous pipelines running from one corner to another and the only entrance available in the room was a carefully sealed durasteel gate that permitted no escapade.

“You vowed to kill me the last time we met…” a muffled voice said at the entrance of a dark figure through the carefully watched gate.

A red light suddenly shined through the darkness of the room, illuminating the face of a woman, Asajj Ventress, standing tall with a playful smirk on her pale lips.

“Patience. It wouldn´t do to kill your body before I´ve destroyed your spirit” the Sith acolyte joked.

“I came to give you more news of the war. The Republic has been beaten back on all fronts. Count Dooku and the Confederacy are on the verge of winning…”

Lies. They were all lies. Designed and fabricated to break the prisoner that laid hanging in that small and unpleasant corner of the galaxy. The Jedi knew it, and didn´t play along the machinations of the captors that may come to the cell.  

And so, the silence remained.

“The Republic has already been crushed on Jabiim” the cold voice of the dark sider commented, trying to get some kind of reaction of her prisoner, but the silence continued.

“Even sweeter…” the cruel woman laughed, finally finding something to hurt her captive “we slaughtered all of the Padawans...”

One beat. Two beats. Three beats.

“…Including yours.”

A sudden explosion happened.

“Liar!!!” the dulled voice of the Jedi screamed, biting the words and spiting them like venom through the restrains. The chains that imprisoned the body of the warrior tingled at the sudden violent movements of the limbs, trying to pull and liberate themselves from the unescapable locks.

“You were easier to break than I expected” Asajj mocked, lifting an eyebrow accentuating her tone.

“You witch!” the prisoner yelled again.

The woman laughed, turning off her lightsaber and coming closer to the face of the Jedi, which was enclosed in a thick leather mask that only allowed a pair of grey eyes to be seen.

“I should have known that your weak spot was that Padawan of yours” the woman mocked, grasping the chin of the hurt Jedi between her pale fingers, lifting the face. “But then again, you two have always been too awfully close.”

The warrior didn´t answer but visibly narrowed the eyes in an intense manner, if looks could be able to kill, Ventress would have already drop dead in the ground.

“Don´t look at me like that,  _honey_ ” the vicious female said, caressing the prisoner’s face over the fabric of the mask with one finger. “But I should admit, you have the loveliest set of eyes I have ever seen. Maybe next time I will gouge them out of that pretty face of yours and put them somewhere in my quarters, as a decoration.”

The body next to the Sith only moved forward, as if to dare her to try, which cause the pale woman to laugh.

“I wonder what that Sith mask is making you see now. It must be awful.”

At the mention of the restriction of the mask, the Jedi´s body shudder. It certainly made the most horrible images appeared inside a person´s mind. And it had been torturing the enclosed Jedi every day.

The visions were terrible. Pictures of the war, people dying, friends being defeated and destroyed, the Temple burning and the Republic falling. Stuff of nightmares. The warrior knew that they were all just that, nightmares. They weren´t happenings, none of that scenes were remotely true but they felt real, so real in fact, that they could be almost touched, tasted. And it tormented the prisoners even during unconsciousness.

A Force wave hit the Jedi unexpectedly, rushing a collection of new nightmares inside her head.

“Force…” the warrior cursed.

“Well, aren´t you tough?” Ventress laughed.

Images of war, of explosions, of bombs going off and people screaming and dying over an open field. Of a Jedi with dark skin being shot down with blasters until he was dead, of a Sullustan Padawan having a phsychic backlash that ended her life as well. A new scene playing in the distance, a male human Jedi exhausted and thrown over the mud of the field, defeated, and a Zabrak apprentice over his body, protecting him from blaster shots, to be finally dispatched together, holding each other with last words that speak of forbidden love and sad goodbyes. A woman of orange skin, angry and suffering, trying to hold her ground while she is attacked, raising her head to see her final demise, an AT-AT walker exploding in fire and falling down directly to her, with a curse and a last attempt of nobility, she managed to use the Force to push some clone soldiers that were in the range of the gigantic piece of metal. Allowing herself to be killed instead.

Images of a blonde man with a familiar face hot with range, so much rage. Killing and becoming the kind of murderer that he despised in the first place.

 _“Anakin, Stop!”_  The imprisoned Jedi had screamed the first time she had seen this particular nightmare.

A guttural gasp escaped the captive warrior at the recalling memory, at the sight of the scenes she had already witness before and had burned her heart to a crisp.

“Your misery delights me, darling, but alas, I must leave you to your nightmares…” Ventress spitted, dropping her hand from the covered face.

“Anakin…” the Jedi whispered under her breath, gasping.

The dark sider walked away from the captive, fastening her forgotten black cloak and smiling to herself, tasting her victory.

“Anakin…” the Jedi repeated, desperate but making sure that her pleas were low enough so they cannot be easily heard.

“Anakin…”

Images of yellow eyes, of fury, of a blue lightsaber slashing through droids and bodies, so much anger behind the hand holding it. It was madness. It wasn´t justice, it wasn´t duty. It was just darkness. Vengeance, hate, frustration. Images that filled her soul with terror.

“I love you…” she finally whispered.

Tears found its way out of her eyes, falling miserably at her feet, at the dirty and humid floor.

The ugly face of a blond man fighting the sea of droids, grasping a man with the Force, of looking at him with such a foul expression, with so many faulty feelings. It made the Jedi whimpered, wanting to scream. With a push of her own will, the image changed, the same face, the same man. This time, though, he wasn´t ugly or angry or mad. It was smiling, eyes shining with a gleam of happiness and a pretty face.

 _“I love you”_  he confessed.

“I love you…” the Jedi bowed. A tear falling from her eyes.

Ventress stare at the Jedi from the door, not really understanding any of her babbling, but suddenly smirking all the same.

“Welcome to your dark side, Obi-Wan Kenobi” She laughed, closing the door behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´m back! for all the people who has read the comics in this particular arc, you may have noticed that somethings happen earlier or in different times that in the comics, but I did it that way to speed things out and not waste too much time in unecessary scenes that have nothing to do with the overall plot of this story, so please ignore those irregularities.
> 
> Obi-Wan is back as well! It´s good to see that she is actually alive :) Can I tell you how much I love Aubrie and Anakin relationship? because I´m loving those two, this kind of chapters are necessary for character and story building, so don´t grow restless, I will try to speed things out so our two lovers find each other soon.


	4. Clone Wars: Death (part 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He knew that there was a great chance of him falling, of all of them dying alongside with him if he continue his course. He knew that there will not be a coming back home. A seeing the calming smile of Padmé again. The familiar halls of the Temple. The loss of a bright future that was surely awaiting him if he just turned around. 
> 
> "I know. But I made a promise."

After many days of abrasive rain, the sun appeared on the horizon, a semblance of hope in the middle of the darkness. Any sentient being that lived long enough on the planet though, knew that such thing wouldn´t last and soon the sun would quickly be replaced by the usual grey clouds of Jabiim.

The field was abandoned with bits and pieces of burnt metal, remains of droids parts and abandoned broken weapons, all buried under thick layers of mud. Dead bodies of fallen soldiers and combatants on both sides of the war lay forsaken.

A female Jedi walked through the humid woods that framed the solitary field, reaching the edge of the vegetation and the beginning of the depressing land. She looked around carefully, trying to sense any sign of life left in the place. Her attentive eyes stared carefully looking for something, anything that could direct her to what she was searching for.

Suddenly, some meters away from her, she could see a form was crouched on the ground, with its back to her and just staring at the ground. The Jedi sighed and started to walk to the form, slowly noting that dawn was approaching with the small rays of the sun appearing and illuminating both their figures. When she finally reached it, she found herself confirming what she already knew. It was Anakin.

“Have you been here all night?” she asked.

Anakin didn´t respond immediately, but rather just continued staring at the floor under his hands before answering.

“Not all night. But yes, it has been several hours.”

“Why?”

“I thought I would find her” he said, slowly, defeated “I thought that she might be here, buried, abandoned, cold… here where it happened.”

Aubrie didn´t need to ask what he referred to. She knew. Anakin was talking about his Master. In his grief, he thought about the possibility of her being alive, here in the field where he saw her demise, even if it was impossible, after all, she died in the explosion. If she did somehow survive she would be dead by now, abandoned, dehydrated, starving, cold and gravely wounded. Anakin knew this, but he simply didn´t care. If there was a chance to get his Master back, he would instantly take it, without second thoughts, without any hesitation. Aubrie wondered how fiercely loyal a human being could be and immediately got her answer, for it was right there in front of her, in the shape of a poor, miserable Padawan.

“Anakin, let´s go back.”

The blond Jedi looked down to his empty hands. Aubrie could see the dried mud on them, the bruises of trying to scratch the surface, pulling at the rocks and mire, possibly using the Force to enhance his natural strength, to pull faster, harder.

“Anakin…”

“You didn´t see it” he ignored her, still too immersed in his own head, probably reliving the sight of another nightmare, she guessed. “It wasn´t a dream…”

Aubrie lifted an eyebrow at the words, feeling a bit self-conscious about her mental shields, had she let that slip? 

“I was not asleep, she appeared to me on my bed, not to scare me, to yell at me like she has done before during my nightmares. I could sense her, her presence, she was there, telling me…” he choke, cutting himself short.

The silence remained between them and Aubrie spied a look at Anakin´s face to see his expression. He was suddenly a bit scared, as if he has done something unbecoming.

“Telling you…?” she enquired, sensing there was more to be told.

“Nothing.” He said, almost too fast. “Telling me she was… waiting…”

Aubrie was still unconvinced but there was no reason for Anakin to lie to her, so she didn´t push the issue.

“Anakin, it could have been a hallucination. Could have even been a very vivid dream…”

“It wasn´t…” he denied. Interrupting her trail of thought.

Aubrie sighed, suddenly feeling extremely tired.

“Anakin, dreams pass in time.” Aubrie put a delicate hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure him.

“Don´t say that!” he snapped, shrugging her calming hand off from his shoulder, teeth almost bared at the mention of such words. Aubrie gasped in surprise.

“The last time someone said that to me, my mother died.” He growled.

Aubrie grew speechless, failing to understand what the young Jedi meant by that.

Anakin must have sensed her confusion for he calmed after taking some deep breaths to steady himself again. His hands clenched the humid earth beneath his palms, burying the fingers in as if they were claws.

“Forgive me…” the blond Padawan requested, closing his eyes in a solemn manner “I shouldn´t have reacted like that, it was wrong...”

“It´s fine…” Aubrie whispered, it really wasn´t but it didn´t matter anymore. “I shouldn´t have pushed you…”

“It´s just that all of this is too confusing” the man muttered holding his head between his hands. “I sensed her!” he repeated “She was right there with me, not in body but in soul, I could feel her sorrow, her presence… her want…” he murmured, trailing his voice off.

Aubrie crouched down on her knees, staring at the figure of Anakin and finally seeing him eye to eye before diverting her sight to the raised mountains in the distance.

“My Master died here too” she confessed.

Anakin turned his head slightly to her direction, as if paying attention to her words.

“There hasn´t been a day since that happened where I didn´t want to run back to this place, just to see if maybe he is alive…”

Anakin dropped his hands, letting them fall on the mud and openly watching Aubrie´s form beside him.

“Sometimes I miss him so much that I can barely hold myself and not cry… He was so proud of me, you know, he was so happy to be my Master…” she said, finally baring her soul the same way that he did when he talked to her about his own Master.

“I would give anything to sense his calming presence again, the same way you sense your Master´s…” she turned, looking at the boy that sat next to her.

“Right before coming here, I was requested by Master Windu” Aubrie said between humorless giggles, Anakin winced slightly at the mention of the Council Member´s name “he wanted to give me special training, he said I had impressed him…”

Anakin raised his eyebrows; he knew Aubrie was a competent Jedi and an excellent healer, one of the best of the whole Temple in fact, but her words made him feel how little did he actually know about the real extent of her abilities.

“I was upset because right before returning to the Temple, I was called here, to attend this emergency. Jabiim…” she trailed off, staring at the open nothingness. “And now, I´m going to die here, on this blasted planet, just like my Master did…”

“You won´t. I won´t let it happen.”

Aubrie smiled at Anakin´s sudden reaction.

“You don´t know that.” She reminded him “You don´t know what will happen. Almost all of our friends are dead, they were capable and strong fighters…. If they fell, there is a great chance I could too…”

“I won´t allow it” Anakin repeated, clenching his teeth “You will not die. I will protect you.”

Aubrie sent him a smile of timid disbelief, she would not argue this with him anymore, it was clearly a sensitive topic.

“We will protect each other.” She settled, laying a hand over his arm in a sign of comfort. “To the best of our abilities, of course.”

It was meant to reassure him, to ease his nerves and it was clearly the end of the conversation, but it did nothing but increase Anakin´s resolution. He had failed too many people: Qui-Gon, his mother, Obi-Wan… he would not fail Aubrie.

He would not.

A comfortable silence befell them both, eyes occupied with watching the rising sun of the morning. Yet, it was, sadly, already hiding behind thick grey clouds. Anakin looked down to his own dirty hands, stained with the dry mud of the field. His heart felt heavy inside his chest but one look at the woman sitting next to him reminded him that there was still some work to be done, reminded him of what he had promised.

“Let´s go back to the camp. We need to prepare our strategy.”

Aubrie looked at him in quiet and well-disguised surprise. But she gave him a small smile and a nod before standing up to follow him back to their communal tent.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Obi-Wan was sore. The chains pulling at her wrists managed to lift her from the floor and not only kept her imprisoned, but also constantly hurt her. She was also starving, more than exhausted and her abused body allowed her only a few precious hours of sleep with the uncomfortable position she was in. Each time she fell asleep, she ended up waking up again after a short while with her broken body taking her out of her well needed rest just to remind her how injured she was.

The blasted Sith mask was on her at all hours; it was scarcely removed and only to give her some droplets of water, just so she wouldn´t die before Ventress had finally had her fill of making her suffer and beg for it to stop.

Obi-Wan huffed. How little did that woman know her; she was a Jedi, she doesn´t beg and she would never give herself up to the mandates and whims of a dark-sider.

The female warrior had attempted to reach Anakin through their connection in the Force, but it was to no avail. The Sith Mask dulled her abilities and her bond was but a whisper that she could barely hear and couldn´t use. That hadn´t stopped her for trying though, even when it was met with no indication of acknowledgment.

She was about to try again when she suddenly heard the rusty cell door creak loudly, making her look through the shadows of the room and at the entrance.

“Well, well, you are looking worse for wear, Kenobi. Have you given up already?”

The sneering voice and face of Asajj Ventress appeared through the darkness, and Obi-Wan rolled her eyes at the melodramatic tone of her voice.

“Just be done with it, Ventress.”

The pale woman chuckled with malice.

“Always so hostile, Obi-Wan. I hoped you were a bit more articulate, given your reputation as such a talented negotiator.”

“I wouldn´t want to waste your precious time, dear…” the dry voice of the Jedi replied with false sympathy “or at least not more than you manage to do yourself.”

“Funny” the Sith acolyte spat, coming closer to her until their eyes met in a battle of angry stares “Always so funny. But you forget your place, false Jedi. You are a prisoner now, not one of the Republic sacred heroes.”

“If that helps you sleep at night.” The Jedi whispered, head lowered with dramatic disinterest, suddenly tired of the prospect of entering another useless spar of words with the hot tempered female.

Asajj clicked her tongue in disgust.

“I have not come here to play your silly tricks, Kenobi. I have come for answers.”

Obi-Wan only stared at her with more defiance.

“I will tell you what I have told you every time you have crossed that door…” she said, her voice calm but eyes hard like durasteel, unforgiving like ice but fierce like fire. “…I will not surrender to the likes of you.”

Ventress lashed out right then and kicked Obi-Wan in the stomach, only the chains stopped her from flying right to the other side of the cell. The Jedi knew better than to provoke the angry Sith, but the pride inside her, which wasn´t a good trait for a Jedi, mind you, was begging her to do so. The kick had hurt, but it was worth it.

“You, pathetic Jedi scum!” Ventress screamed, punching her in the face the minute she was back within reach, the feeling of the fist was somewhat dulled by the leather mask, but the impact was still hard and strong. “You think you can mock me! I´m above you, Kenobi! I have surpassed you!”

Obi-Wan suddenly started to chuckle which made the already angry woman almost burst into a fit of fury.

“Unchain me, then.” The Jedi invited, “Meet me in a fair fight and let´s put your confidence to a test.”

Asajj was about to bite back, words tangling on her tongue like venom on a snake´s fangs, but a deep gulp of air reminded her of the trickery of the invitation that she was being given. Master Dooku always reminded her that anger was a powerful ally, but only during the right times, and this was not the time.

Ventress spat, finding the offer almost offensive “Don´t be ridiculous, Kenobi. As if I were fool enough to fall for your old tricks.” She growled.

“Never has stopped you before.” The Jedi still teased her. Asajj almost ripped her head off in retaliation.

“You know…” she tried instead, “My Master warned me that if I ever held you in my power, I should deliver you to him…”

Obi-Wan raised her injured head at the words. Ventress´s Master was Count Dooku, and the memory of the man sent her thoughts right back to their match in Geonosis. The bitter taste that the fight brought to her mind were not pleasant, she almost wished for a re-match with pure vengeance on her mind, a reminder that the Sith Mask she was wearing was working on her mind, twisting her emotions into ugly, desperate thoughts of darkness. With a silent gulp of air she calmed herself, allowing her body to get rid of the negative feelings inside her chest.

“He had always taken a keen interest in you…” Ventress continued, growing restless and upset “… as if you were something special, something worth turning…”

“What are you waiting for, then?” Obi-Wan dared.

Ventress smiled.

“I think he is wrong” she stated “I think he got it the wrong way. You are not special, you are not worth saving... not even your friends have attempted a rescue, not even that precious Padawan of yours that you seem to favor so much.”

The words stung, and Obi-Wan only hoped that Ventress didn´t know just how much. She has been trying not to think about it, not even at her darkest hours when the nightmares came lurking at the corners of her mind, twisting her memories into something ugly and disgusting. But the realization that maybe, just maybe, Asajj was right, that they weren´t looking simply because she didn´t matter, or because Anakin had already given up on her, shook her to the core.

A heavy silence overtook them, Obi-Wan didn´t feel safe answering Ventress´s assumptions, and she didn´t have any funny remarks to make.

“Oh, have I guessed correctly?” The pale woman smirked.

“Not at all” Obi-Wan commented with ease, pretending to not care about the accusations. “I just wonder how much time you spent coming up with all of these silly notions in your head.”

Ventress only narrowed her eyes and then slowly smirked, the gesture sent shivers down Obi-Wan´s spine.

“Think it over…” she hissed before walking away.

Right before leaving through the now opened door, she turned, a cruel merciless smile painted on her face.

“Next time we see each other I will be bringing dinner for you.”

Obi-Wan´s stomach turned at the threat, almost taking into the implicit promise of torture and misery that the words inherently carried. The evil smirk in Ventress face widened when she noted the slight alarm in Obi-Wan´s eyes. After that, it was only the noisy creak of an old door and then a heavy silent darkness.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Anakin was standing in the middle of the tent, the weather was already terrible outside of the camp, with heavy rain ready to fall in rivers and dangerous thunder roaring through the dark clouds. The young Padawan managed to make a gesture of disgust right before turning on his heels to stare at the sudden entrance of Aubrie.

“Are you ready, now?” she asked.

“Are you?” he replied, lifting an eyebrow.

“More than ever” she said with a chuckle. “I want to be done with this, everything will be as the Force wills it.”

Anakin almost snorted at the expression, it was something he heard Obi-Wan say sometimes, especially when they were venturing to the unknown and she wasn´t sure what would happen. For Anakin, it was as good as admitting that you didn´t have any idea of what you were doing.

“Well, the battle won´t get any uglier, I suppose…”

They both walked out of the protected space, only stopping to cover themselves with their brown robes and lifting the hood to cover their unprotected heads once they realized that the dreaded rain had started to fall as predicted. The remaining clones were all set and ready in the ships and Anakin could see that they had already loaded all their weaponry, knowing full well that they have to go for the kill.

“Where are the others?” the blond Jedi questioned.

“Wondo is already preparing himself with a battalion of clones, he will take charge. Vaabesh is going to get there by air.” She reassured him.

“Seems to me we are a little too divided, don´t you think?”

“We are heavily outnumbered, we need to cover more ground so we do not get trapped by their forces” she clarified.

“So…” Anakin sighed, feeling suddenly depressed “… it´s every man for themselves now.”

Aubrie didn´t say anything but made an apologetic expression with her face, walking alongside him and allowing the silence between them be filled with the splashing of their boots against the mud and the noise of the rain and clack of armor. Anakin was afraid that the last thing he would hear before dying was the sound of blaster bolts.

“So Windu has the tanks, Vaabesh has the aircrafts. What do we have? How are we getting to the field?”

Aubrie smirked and pointed at a group of clones that were patiently waiting for them to approach. The instant they captured them in their sights they stiffened and saluted the two jedi.

Anakin smiled teasingly at the sight of their vehicle.

“Speeder-Bikes?” he asked, lifting a mocking eyebrow to Aubrie.

The woman smiled back.

“Because I know just how much you love them.”

“Oh, I´m in for anything that moves fast.”

“Then it´s your birthday” she joked. Walking up to her own bike, getting on it. “I will be going first. I will see you there, but please, first try to make sure the land mines that you installed last week are still in place. It´s probably our only advantage at this point.”

Anakin nodded getting to his own bike. “Try not to kill everyone before I manage to get there.”

Aubrie huffed “Wouldn´t dream of it.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“You are a stubborn one, Kenobi. I give you that.”

Obi-Wan was seated on the dirty floor of the cell, if she was just tired before this, now she was in exhausted. Ventress spent the past few hours torturing her, using knives, her fists and even the Force to hurt her. This was hardly new, as she had done so since Obi-Wan was captured by her deadly hands, but as time passed and the torture machinations didn´t seem to work, Ventress had become increasingly desperate. She was vicious, merciless and, in Obi-Wan´s opinion, a bit creative.

“Won´t you tell me where the Republic is getting it´s medical resources?”

Obi-Wan almost chuckled at the question, Asajj could ask her whatever she wanted, and Obi-Wan would not answer.

“I´m getting impatient, Kenobi…” the witch warned.

Obi-Wan still didn´t reply.

“Fine, then.” Ventress spat, angry grimace on her pale face “But I think it´s time for you dinner, wouldn´t you say?”

All of a sudden the cell door opened to show two tall men carrying the battered body of Commander Alpha. Obi-Wan´s eyes, which were clouded by the pain of the beating she was receiving, opened wide at the sight of the man who had accompanied her during the long and torturous campaigns of the Clone Wars.

His body was covered in bruises and bloody cuts, tortured, no doubt. The Jedi almost clenched her teeth with a quick wave of anger that traveled up and down her spine at the sight of such cruelty. She was relieved that the clone was still alive, but she regretted that he was being treated with the same, or even worse, treatment that she was.

“Feeling like talking now?” Ventress teased.

The female warrior lifted her bruised face and looked at the dark sider through the dried blood over her eyes, a distinctive glare of contained fury shining through the usual pale grey of her orbs, now almost a bright green of anger.

“Whatever it is you want with me, you leave him out of it…”

Asajj only chuckled low under her breath.

“Why would I do such a thing?” she wondered while the two men hanged the hurt body of the soldier on chains. “He is key to help me break you, after all…”

“I won´t say a thing, Ventress. Stop wasting our time.”

“Let me judge that, sweetheart.”

One of the men came forward and approached Ventress with something in his hand. Asajj took it without even sparing a glance. The constant pain made seeing difficult for Obi-Wan but after a few tries she was able to distinguish a plate in Ventress hand. The article was swiftly deposited before her, on the floor.

“Like I said” Ventress pointed out, crouching down to her knees only to stare directly at Obi-Wan´s eyes. “…your dinner.”

The auburn haired Jedi stared at the plate then, there was no real food on it but some sort of insects, bugs, to be exact. They were alive and moving, and the mere view of it made Obi-Wan´s stomach wallow and shrink.

“You can´t expect…”

“Oh, yes I do” Ventress said in a fastidious sing-along voice “This is your dinner and you will eat the whole of it before I´m gone…”

“Or what? You will hurt me, torture me?” Obi-Wan enquired. There was no way she was going to eat those things, not even in her weak and starving state. Obi-Wan knew exactly what they were, those insects feed on flesh and if she were to eat them they would start to eat her from the inside out in turn.

Ventress only chuckled with sudden glee.

“No” she declared “You will eat them all… or your little Commander here will suffer the consequences.”

Obi-Wan turned to look at the bad worn soldier. His face was swollen, he was bleeding in so many places that he was hardly recognizable. The only proof that he was still alive was the heavy but slow movements of his chest and his still noticeable Force signature.

“You are truly vile…” Obi-Wan muttered, voice tight and eyes a storm of fury.

“You will choose wisely or, well…” Ventress trailed off, giving a signal to the men that waited beside Alpha´s body.

Both of them moved fast and suddenly, punching Alpha in the stomach and in the face respectively, the movement was so hard and brutal that it would have sent the hanging man flying to the wall if it wasn´t for the chains. The soldier groaned and almost screamed, letting a new trail of blood to fall from his broken lips. The two brutes continued assaulting him without mercy, hurting the clone more and more.

“Stop!” Obi-Wan cried.

“You know how to stop them, Kenobi.” Ventress reminded her, coming closer to her ear “You just need to say the words…”

Obi-Wan bit her lips to stop another command to bleed out from her mouth. They were not going to stop unless she did what Ventress wanted, much to her dismay.

“I will do it…” The Jedi decided.

“Go on, then…”

Obi-Wan turned her eyes to the vile bugs, still crawling around the plate that Ventress has given her. One of her shaky hands grabbed one insect and brought it to her lips without much hesitation. She had already decided to do this, it would be better if she just was done with it.

She swallow the damn thing without biting it first. It tasted like mud and bitterness and almost made her puke.

Ventress naturally laughed but the men stop their violence, which was what mattered to the Jedi.

“Very good!” the dark sider appraised “Finish it off!”

The red headed Jedi didn´t object and followed the command with barely contained disgust. Her eyes raised up while her hand and mouth busied themselves with her ´food´. The cold dark eyes of Alpha stared back at her with a singular intention behind them: _I´m sorry_. Obi-Wan only hoped he could see behind her eyes as well, for she was sorry too.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“Commander Skywalker!”

Anakin was standing checking the last set of land mines, which, thank the Force, were still intact and functional, a group of clones were guarding him alongside some members of the loyalist of Jabiim.

The masculine voice of a Republic Captain stopped him in his tracks. Right then, a red and white ship landed on the mudded surface of the planet. It has been a while since Anakin has seen one of those and he hoped that they, at the very least, carried some proper food or ammunition.

“Commander Skywalker, Sir!” the man repeated, finally appearing through the entry ramp.

Anakin approached slowly “Nice piloting, Captain.” The Padawan complimented, staring at the thick dark clouds of above. “I can´t believe it you made it through the storm, but what are you doing here?”

“I was sent by the Chancellor, sir” the man said putting his hands behind his back.

The Chancellor? Anakin almost gasped out loud, he was certainly being thrown over by the statement.

“The Chancellor, you said?” Anakin was continuing to be surprised. “I wasn´t told about this… but I guess it doesn´t matter” It really didn´t, if the Chancellor decided to send them some aid he was not going to be one to turn it down, he would take it, after all they were out of provisions and weaponry, this was like salvation.

“Very well. I will send the clones to retrieve the supply. What are you carrying? Food? Soldiers? Weapons?”

The Republic Captain seemed thrown off by the question since he frowned with confusion but Anakin seemed to not notice because he continued rambling.

“Also, this is hardly enough. Where are the rest of the transports?”

The Captain suddenly shook his head. “This is it, Sir. The Republic couldn´t spare more and we lost two of our ships in the upper atmosphere.”

“Are you telling me this is all?” Anakin asked incredulous, pointing at the ship “This ship it´s hardly enough, Captain. I´m thankful for the supplies but it would not sustain us for long…”

“That´s just it, Sir.” The man tried to explain “We do not bring supplies, we are here to retrieve you.”

“Retrieve me?” Anakin frowned, lifting his eyebrows and looking at the man as if he had lost his head.

“Indeed. We have direct orders from the Chancellor to collect you and to bring you safety to Coruscant.”

Anakin gasped just then, remembering his latest call with Palpatine. The man was worried about his safety and actually told him to come back to Coruscant as soon as possible, he has denied the invitation and stood firmly by his original orders. Now, the Politician has sent help.

Anakin was about to respond with a quick denial but stopped to look at the men behind him. The loyalist and the clones were both hurt and tired, if they stayed here they would surely die. The war in Jabiim was already lost, they all knew that for sure, even Aubrie who was still busy in the main battle, was fighting for her life and if there was a possibility to take them all of this planet, at least until they had enough resources to come back and win in a second expedition, he would be a fool not to take it.

“Fine, Captain.” Anakin nodded, accepting the generosity of the Chancellor “But I will need more ships, this it´s not enough to carry the men we have. Open a channel of communication with Coruscant, and ask for more transports.”

“That´s impossible, Sir” the Captain refused kindly “With all the atmospheric activity we can´t even send a message to the dropships, much less to Coruscant.”

Anakin crossed his arms against his chest, frowning.

“Our scanner picked up another storm coming, we have to come within the hour or we´ll be grounded for days. I was told you were the last Jedi here, you are the only authority and our priority. What are your orders, Sir?”

Anakin suddenly froze. The last Jedi? What about Aubrie? Wondo? Vaabesh? Forget that, what about the clones and the army of loyalist that followed them into the battlefield?

 “I cannot leave this men to die here, abandoned…” Anakin muttered. Almost begging for a better solution.

“I´m afraid, Sir, that you will have to choose…” the Captain said with a humble look on his face, as if he also detected the difficulty of the decision.

Anakin closed his eyes with desperation, trying to find some kind of peace and answer into the confines of the Force, begging it to show him the right way. Obi-Wan always taught him to listen to the whispers of the energy that surrounded him, that bound him to the galaxy itself, but the voice that was meant to help him reminded quiet.

“Commander Raid!” Anakin called, voice rough and loud.

Raid wasn´t actually the clone´s real name, it was a combination of numbers and letters that Anakin never bothered to learn, he always thought it was quite stupid, not to mention confusing, for the Clones to just be named a collection of numbers and letters, as if one would remember who was who; so Anakin took to call him Raid after two or three missions together. And the Clone had accepted like they accepted everything, like they have accepted death and accepted orders.

“Yes, Sir?”

“Do we have an attack shuttle available?”

The Clone hesitated for a second at the unexpected question but quickly answered.

“Yes, Sir. Just the one” he said, pointing at a white and red shuttle that rested at the side of the field.

“Good. I will need you and a couple of clones to come with me.”

Both the Clone and the Republic Captain looked at each other with confusion at the set of orders.

“I´m not the only Jedi left, Captain” Anakin explained “There are other three, and I´m going to get to them.”

“They are in the battlefield, Sir” The Clone reminded him “It´s too dangerous to go only with one shuttle, they have cannons.”

“I know” Anakin whispered, starting to walk away without second thoughts.

“Sir! It´s too dangerous!” the Captain insisted.

“I´m a Jedi, Captain” Anakin reminded him, finally getting to the shuttle alongside with a small band of clones close to his heels. “Danger it´s what I do. Just wait here, if I don´t get back within the hour you have my permission to take the loyalist and clones and evacuate them off the planet.”

“I don´t think that the Chancellor will be too pleased about this, Sir” the Captain reminded him, but Anakin could see that he was willing to accept his orders nonetheless. “His orders were quite clear. To get you back to Coruscant safe and sound.”

“Oh, don´t you worry, Captain.” Anakin reassured him “I will deal with him…” _If I make it out alive_ , Anakin added in the quiet of his mind.

While the shuttle took off and moved forward, breaking through the heavy rain and into the direction of the smoke of the battle, Raid came closer to Anakin.

“Are you sure about this Sir?” the clone questioned, voiced low “This might as well can be your last battle…”

Anakin could hear the concern tangled in the soldier´s words, it was good to know that the men he led into battle cared deeply for his wellbeing, not only because those are their orders, but because they are human and they feel loss and sadness over the death of one of their own, or for one of their generals. Anakin wished he could assure him that he had thought of this beforehand, that he has a way out, but he doesn´t have any answer to give. He was as lost and as worried as he was.

 _“Right before coming here, I was requested by Master Windu”_ Aubrie´s voice appeared inside his head. Her sad smile, the heavy look on her eyes while she entertained herself with the shadows of the mountains. _“He wanted to give me special training, he said I had impressed him…”_ she continued. Anakin could almost hear her all over again, as if she was beside him, and the sole thought of her in danger made him clench his fists with anger.

Obi-Wan was gone because he was too weak, he was too late and now Aubrie was going to die because he was not beside her, the same way he wasn´t beside his Master, beside his wife.

_“I´m going to die here, on this blasted planet, just like my Master did…”_

_“You won´t die. I won´t let it happen.”_

_Aubrie smiled “You don´t know that.”_

Anakin spared a glance at Raid, who was still standing behind him, waiting for an answer, a call back, an order to go back to safety and follow the orders of the Chancellor. He knew that there was a great chance of him falling, of all of them dying alongside with him if he continue his course. He knew that there will not be a coming back home. A seeing the calming smile of Padmé again. The familiar halls of the Temple. The loss of a bright future that was surely awaiting him if he just turned around. 

“I know” he said to himself. He knew all of that for sure. He knew the price of the war and of this decision. In his head he saw Aubrie´s face, the members of the fallen Padawan Pack, Padmé´s eyes, Qui-Gon´s reassuring smile, his mother´s kind hands. Obi-Wan´s head resting on his chest.

“I know” he repeated loudly, making sure Raid heard this time. His voice was firm despite his fear, and with a final exhale of courage, he looked forward to the sight of smoke and fire. “But I made a promise…”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“You shouldn´t have done that…”

The husky rough voice of Alpha resonated through the walls of the cell. Obi-Wan was busy being hanging by the chains, feet never touching the ground. They had been like that for a couple of days now, in complete silence and hurting, Ventress and her lackeys came and went as they pleased, bringing them some water and food, just enough to keep them alive but not enough to make the starving go away.

“He talks…” Obi-Wan mutters through a sore throat, she was tortured not but just a couple of hours ago, and her body was aching absolutely everywhere.

“You shouldn´t have done that…” the clone repeated.

“I don´t even know what you are talking about” Obi-Wan responded, getting impatient and angry at the words of her second in command, she wasn´t in the mood for guessing games.

“Those bugs…” the clone responded, finally lifting his falling head to look at her with his dark eyes.

“They were going to kill you” Obi-Wan reminded him.

“So, what?”

“What do you mean ´so, what´? I was not going to let you die…”

“Sir, I´m a clone, I´m replaceable. You are a Jedi, you are important. You cannot risk your life like that…”

“You are a person. Now, shut up, you are irritating me.”

Obi-Wan ordered hoping that the soldier would follow the instructions, she was upset by the man´s words. She knew that they were, indeed, replaceable, but that didn´t justify cruelty. She was never one to stand and watch while a living being was tortured and murdered before her eyes, at least not when she was in a position to stop such an act, like the man has stated, she was a Jedi. They were sworn to protect the galaxy and all its living beings, not to forsaken them, that was the reason they were fighting this Force-damned war in the first place.

“The bugs…” Alpha repeated.

“I know, Alpha. I know” she promised.

Alpha managed to find the energy to lift an eyebrow in question. Obi-Wan sent him a look and spat some drops of blood into the floor, as if showing him the point.

“You are bleeding…” Alpha noticed.

“Not anymore. I stopped them before they managed to do any real damage” she informed him.

“How?” he asked, voice betraying genuine curiosity.

Obi-Wan smiled, reassuring him calmly.

“Well. I used the Force, of course. I knew Ventress wouldn´t bother to feed me those insects just to humiliate me, they were going to feed on my flesh. I killed them before they found the way to do so.” The female Jedi explained, feeling exhausted just by the action of it.

“Well, aren´t you Jedi resourceful?” the clone joked, if Obi-Wan had any energy left she might have laughed at that.

“I just wish you were resourceful enough to use that dear Force of yours to find a way to escape this hellish place, Sir… or at least send a message to someone to rescue us…” the man continued.

“Oh, you’d be surprised…” she chuckled “You just wait a little longer, Alpha, just wait…”

Alpha looked almost offended by her promise, then he scoffed “You are just as mad as General Skywalker, Sir. I never expected to say that…”

Obi-Wan couldn´t help herself, it hurt her chest, like a stinging sensation that turned into a burn, but she couldn´t stop: She just laughed.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Aubrie was holding the dead body of Vaabesh in her arms, blaster fire was all around her and the chaos of the war surrounded them like the dark clouds of the rain which invaded Jabiim on a daily basis. Every breath she took was like inhaling a mouthful of flames, it burned her lungs and made her cough and choke.

“Sir!” a clone came rushing, dodging the bolts of blaster fire. “We just lost all the cannons, Sir.”

Aubrie turned with an exasperated look on her face. The situation was getting worse and worse, they had lost most off their weaponry and both Vaabesh and Wondo had already died, the only Jedi left was her.

She turned to look at her fallen partner with tears in her eyes “I promise your death will not be in vain…” she promised.

The female warrior stood up from the floor and sent a nod to the clone that awaited her, with a last look at Vaabesh, she took his lightsaber and made a gesture of respect.

“I will borrow this, my friend. I ask for your forgiveness.” She requested before walking to the clone.

“Where is he?” she asked between her teeth. The clone pointed at his right, making her look at the direction, she felt her anger rising through her chest.

Using the Force to enhance her strength, Aubrie took a leap forward and adjusted her eyes trying to find the figure of Stratus in the middle of the bodies fighting in the field. Soon enough she spotted the tall man and she approached him igniting both her saber and Vaabesh´s, gripping the handles with unnecessary strength and clenching her jaw with fury.

“This is the day you die, Stratus…”

“Silly girl!” the man roared, shielding himself behind one of his followers. “We have won this!”

The soldier fired a couple of shots at her and she expertly redirected them back at him, staggering him as his armor partially shielded him.

“You are not victorious yet!” she said.

Stratus was clearly wounded and he was powerless to stop himself from falling to the mud, Aubrie lurked above him with a dangerous intent. _“You killed half your people…”_ she thought with contained fury _“You killed my friends…”_ The image of the Padawan pack flashed before her eyes, reminding her of what she has lost. Lost because of this man.

The blond rebel took a hidden blaster from behind his back, aiming it directly at her and surprising the female Jedi.

“They were all causalities of war, girl!” he shouted, firing the weapon without mercy.

Before she could receive the shot a strong pull sent her backwards and the blaster shot only managed to hit her on her shoulder, the pain was immense and she almost felt herself fainting from it, but before she could move a tall figure appeared before her, sheltering from more attacks.

“Don´t even think about it, scum!”

Aubrie opened her eyes wide at the sight of Anakin Skywalker before her. He was standing with lightsaber at hand and a furious look upon his face.

“Anakin!” she exclaimed “How…?”

The blond man turner to spare a small glance at her.

“I told you I wouldn´t let you die” he reminded her, turning his eyes back at Stratus. “And I won´t.”

Aubrie held her shoulder with concern and surprised, the young Padawan must have felt it in the Force because he gave her a nod to reassure her.

“You will both die!” the Separatist leader swore, raising his blaster once more “The Republic will fall, and I, Alto Stratus, will end the last Jedi standing on Jabiim!”

Anakin reacted at the name with immediate response. Aubrie could feel a sudden fury through the Force, like a thousand volcanos exploding all at once.

“You are Alto Stratus?!” Anakin questioned with so much anger that it made Aubrie shiver with fear.

“Anakin…” Aubrie called.

“Indeed, boy!”

“Anakin…” Aubrie tried again, sensing something terrible and dark lurking. Like a warning that something bad was about to happen.

“You…” Anakin said like a curse. Aubrie recognized the anger, she just felt it herself when she got the chance to end things, but Anakin´s wrath was beyond any frustration she have ever sensed. It was consuming and oppressive. So heavy that almost stop one´s heart in the middle of a beat.

The male Jedi raised his hand, lifting the body of the older man with the Force. Stratus was pulling at his collar, trying, in vain, to set himself free from the hold of the choke.

“Because of you Obi-Wan died!” Anakin roared, raising the body off their enemy even higher.

“Anakin, Stop!” Aubrie begged, trying to stand from her position.

“You will die…” he promised, taking a step forward and bringing his lightsaber with him. Aubrie almost managed to stop him when his hand moved all of a sudden, cutting off Stratus’s head in one clean cut.

Aubrie fell backwards, impressed by the violent action. Anakin was still immersed in his rage even when the head of the Separatist landed on his feet.

“Anakin… you, you just…”

The Padawan didn´t respond, instead he just turned off his saber and clicked it back on his belt, he turned on his heels and crouched to lift her body from the ground. The woman almost jumped in her place, too scared to be touched by the man that had just so mercilessly murdered a man as if he was but an animal. She could still sense the darkness in him, spreading like a shadow that followed the Padawan´s steps.

“You are safe now…” he promised, his voice still rough with his anger. She didn´t say anything and only grasped her lightsaber tightly on her lap. She didn´t felt safe at all.

“Raid. Take us off here.” He ordered.

As the shuttled started going up and away from the planet´s surface, Aubrie spared one look at the remaining of the battle. The thousands of bodies coating the ground, the smoke rising from the fallen AT-AT´s, the white armor of the clones discarded alongside the corpses of the Separatist forces and droids parts. Through the entirety of their journey, Anakin never set her free.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, I tried more dialogue instead of elaborate descriptions this time I hope you all noticed the change in writing, I thought it would be better that way so things can move foward in a faster pace. 
> 
> Next chapter I will try to draw something for you. We have two more chapters to end this arc. Please leave me in the comments your suggestions and which part you enjoyed the most, that kind of things keep me motivated to continue the fanfic. :)


	5. Clone Wars: Death (part 5)

**Clone Wars: Death (Part 5)**

 

 

Anakin was seated right next to Aubrie´s cot in the healing ward of the Republican Flagship, he´s been there for a couple of hours now, waiting for the Force compulsion he managed to force into the female Jedi´s mind to wear off. He suspected that Aubrie will be angry when she gets to wake up.

“Anakin…”

The male Padawan, who was busy looking through the transparensteel window of the healing ward turned to look at Aubrie instead, finding her staring at him with tired eyes.

“Aubrie” Anakin saluted, smiling slightly at the sight of his friend, he came closer and asked “how are you feeling?”

“…been better, I guess.”

“I bet.”

A silence fell between them, it was uncomfortable and almost oppressive, Anakin felt himself insecure of what to say or do, and thankfully Aubrie saved her from that position.

“Where are we?” the female Jedi questioned while looking around with confused eyes.

“In a Republic flagship” Anakin answered “We are in open space.”

Aubrie frowned.

“What happen with Jabiim…?” She asked with an almost scared voice, she started to incorporate on the cot. Anakin stopped her with one of his hands.

“You don´t have to stand up” he told her, pushing her back “We are done with Jabiim” Anakin muttered through clenched teeth.

“What do you mean with that?”

“I mean just what I said” Anakin almost growled. Aubrie looked up at him with a questioning look, still too unsure, the deep stare made the blond Padawan sighed.

“We lost. We lost Jabiim. I already commed the Council, we are on our way to Coruscant.”

Aubrie opened her eyes wide with surprise but fell back onto the bed, Anakin scooted closer and sat next to her form.

“Jabiim was important for the Republic.”

“I know” Anakin lamented “but there was no way to win that war.”

Aubrie knew that too, the planet only caused the death of their friends and soldiers, it was draining their resources, staying there more time it would just lead to their own deaths, still the lingering sensation of failure stuck to her skin like a bad bitter taste on her tongue.

A silence fell between them, and the young female Jedi didn’t know if she was comfortable with Anakin´s presence inside the healer quarters, he looked worried and restless, his blue eyes moving to every corner of the room in a desperate motion, she wondered if he stayed around just because he was taking care of her, which was supposed to be sweet and comforting, but it only made her cringe with the memory of his blood lust during the battle against Stratus.

“You seemed alright now…” Aubrie voiced.

The blond Jedi, who at the moment was busy expecting some empty corner of the room, turned his eyes at the sound of her voice.

“Mmm?”

“I said you look fine now.”

“I don´t know what you are talking about...” he reminded her with a slight frown.

“Last time I saw you, you murdered a man in cold blood.”

Anakin´s frown deepened at her choice of words, apparently uncomfortable with the phrasing.

“A man who was hardly innocent.” He added with impatience.

“I never said he was.”

“Then what are you implicating?” Anakin wondered, folding his arms against his chest and taking a few steps closer to her cot, Aubrie had to made an effort not to flinch away from him, she could still feel the oppression of Anakin´s previous dark presence in the Force.

“I felt it, Anakin. Your intent, your emotions. They were all dark. It was awful and I could hardly believe it. I have felt anger before, especially now in the war where so many people die around us, but never like that. It was horrible.” She explained with a false calmness.

“That man killed my Master and your Master as well, not to mention our friends!” Anakin barked, starting to pace around the room to liberate some of the tension left in his body.

“The war killed them” Aubrie corrected, sitting on the edge of the bed “I was going to end him as well, but not like that Anakin, not the way you did, it is not…”

“What?! The Jedi way?!” he interrupted with a growl, almost laughing bitterly at the implication of her words.

“You truly do not see it, do you?”

“If you want me to regret killing that man, you can forget about it, Aubrie. It´s one of the finest things I´ve ever done.”

“Listen to yourself…” she begged, not believing the words her friend just pronounced.

Anakin only frowned and directed his eyes to the uninteresting ground, indicating he had nothing else to say and he was not to be swayed by her begs.

“I feel fine now” Aubrie muttered under her breath “I will take my leave. I wish to be left alone for a while.”

Anakin didn´t say anything, only watched her putting on her boots and walking away from him. Anakin felt a sudden rage engulf him alive at the sight of her back getting farther and farther away from him, a part of him wanted to drag her right back, made her stay with him the same way he stood by her side while she was unconscious. He extinguished the flame of hatred that so suddenly embraced his body, it wasn´t right to think so violently of his friend, even when it felt like betrayal that she, just like the other Masters at the Temple, would turn away from him like that. It was cruel, he had thought he had found an ally within the confines of the oppressive Order, but the mare notion that he had lost that friend as quickly as it came constricted his heart until an aching pain took place in his whole chest.

The worst part of all, it wasn´t the questioning and the excepticisim in Aubrie´s voice, he expected her to be intrigued or even upset by his actions. But he had foresaw anger and confusion, not this quiet retreat, not disappointment. Anakin knew what to do against negative emotions, he was an expert on sensing them, facing them, since he was one to feel them so passionately. But this, the almost swift and silent quietness of disapproval, the same disapproval that he had to face when his Master, his Obi-Wan, grew quiet when he makes a mistake or loses the point of an exercise, it was the kind of a cold, detached sentiment that he found he couldn´t bear.

Without saying anything else, he turned on his heels. Gone was the light provided by the opened door at Aubrie´s departure, now he stared at the wide space from the big window of the ward, looking at nothing but the vast dark universe and its brightest stars.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“Are you all right, General?”

The deep voice of the clone trooper echoed inside the dark damp cell that contained both the commander and Obi-Wan. The Jedi was thinking she was going deft by the constant absence of sound before the soldier opened his mouth.

“Been better” Obi-Wan muttered under her breath, trying not to flinch at the sound of her own worn down voice.

“You don´t look that great” Alpha pointed out while he squirmed in his chains.

“You can´t even see me” the Jedi buffed with annoyance.

She could hear Alpha chucking at the other side of the cell.

“So, what´s next?” he questioned. “Waterboarding? Killer bugs? Whipping?”

Obi-Wan couldn´t see him through the darkness of the prison, but she could almost imagine the uncomfortable grimace on her commander´s features at the mention of their options.

“No. We escape.” She declared.

“Yeah. Let´s just do that.” He growled in an unconvinced hiss. “With all due respect, Sir, we seemed to be a bit, let´s say, tided up for the moment…”

The rippled tickling sound of chains reached the Jedi´s ears, the soldier that accompanied her in her captivity was pulling at the restrains trying to emphasize their situation. Obi-Wan giggled to her insides.

“Well, yeah. Or we could just use the Force.”

Suddenly, the loud cracking noise of pipes interrupted the conversation, Alpha, even without being able to see anything, raised his head to stare at the eternal darkness of the ceiling, he could feel the movement of broken pipes being pulled from their places and a bluster of falling water coming down on them.

“How the…?”

“I´ve been concentrating on this pipes since they locked me here. With the Sith Mask I couldn´t even feel the Force, but with time and a lot of effort, I have been able to pull at the screws of the pipes, weakening them.”

“So, what?” Alpha asked upset and unamused “Now we drown to death…”

“The lock of your chain is electric” She reminded him with the same petulance.

Almost immediately Obi-Wan heard the distinctive beeping sound of the lock opening, then some heavy and slow steps walking through water reached her and a pair of strong hands pull the Sith Mask away from her face.

“I cannot see your face right now, but I can bet you make a much better sight without this on” the commander joked, throwing away the torturing object as if it had offended him.

“I bet” She murmured, sighing at the comforting and peaceful feeling of the Force filling her senses once more. She had missed this. This wonderful and growing connection with the galaxy itself; it was a tragedy to just think that so many people and creatures that lived in this vast world were unable to feel this pulling energy that invaded her body and her soul. She certainly couldn´t imagine a life without it.

With a directed look up, Obi-Wan concentrated her thoughts in the lock of her own chains and instructed the Force to open it, which it did. She landed swiftly on her feet.

“So, what to do with the door? It´s quiet heavy” Alpha commented while the water quickly started to filled the room until it reached their waists.

With another directed Force wave, Obi-Wan pushed the metal door in front of her. It could be heavy and thick, but it wasn´t a match to a Force user. It ended up flying out and allowing the light to travel inside the cell, as well as liberating the water that was threatening to drawn them.

Alpha whistled in approval and started running to the exit with Obi-Wan behind him. The Jedi instructed the man to get them a blaster before just running off, and the clone rolled his black eyes at Obi-Wan´s suggestion to free the other prisoners from their cells, which, apparently, he didn´t seem to like. The female warrior knew that the man was built for violence and hard choices, he was, after all, a ruthless soldier born for the war, but the peaceful diplomat inside her didn´t allowed her cruelty or lack of compassion, even during times of need.

After running around opening cells and looking for a way out before the guards realized about the flood they created and the riot that was forming in the cells by the freed prisoners, they started to tiptoe through the halls of the castle with care, avoiding the guards and the people that may be walking around.

“How can you know when they are around?” Alpha asked in a whisper.

“The Force” she murmured “I can feel them even if I can´t see them.”

She sneaked around a bit more, and once they reached a safe corner she pulled the taller man inside a suspicious wide room.

“What are you doing?” he asked while he looked at Obi-Wan´s closed eyes.

The woman was starting to call on the Force, trying to sense the threads that connected her with the multiple creatures and living beings of the universe, searching for the unique and special bond she only shared with one person. But the connection, while strong, it was muted. The distance between them too great to even breach. She let it go with a sad sigh and a defeated glance at the floor. She couldn´t help but crave her most beloved one beside her but she could, at the very least, comfort herself with the sense of easiness that invaded her with the presence of him inside her mind.

“Well?” Alpha brought her back to reality with a confused look.

“Nothing. I was trying to contact Anakin. Couldn´t, too far away.” She explained while she distracted herself inspecting the room.

Alpha occupied himself with the sight of guns and weapons that hanged around the walls of the room, Obi-Wan observed him picking up several of them with expert eyes, deciding which ones to steal and which ones to leave behind. The woman imitated him, looking for a more elegant weapon of her own: a lightsaber.

The room seemed to be some sort of small museum of all kinds of arms, so it wasn´t difficult to imagine that her own personal saber was probably hidden within the room, being preserved and shown as a silly trophy, and knowing Ventress as well as she did, it will probably being put in a special visible place.

Eventually, she did find it, alongside with another saber that probably belonged to another Jedi, and she took it without a second thought. Lightsabers shouldn´t be in possession of non-Jedi people, and certainly not as glorified spoils of war.

“Found everything you needed?” she inquired to the soldier who was carrying multiples blasters all over his scared body.

“Oh, indeed” the soldier grinned while holding a couple of them out.

“Let´s go then.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

The shuttle landed just outside the hanger of the Temple in Coruscant, Anakin was more than ready to welcome the sight of the city-planet with open arms, it was an indescribable feeling to be able to feel the sun again on his skin after so many weeks of never ending rain.

Aubrie step down first, not even sparing a look at her companion and started walking her way inside their home, Anakin wasn´t angry anymore but deeply sad. He wanted to reach to one of her shoulders and ask her to talk to him again, but he knew that such thing was not to be well received.

The Padawan walked through the corridors of the Temple, appreciating the familiar sight before him, the almost golden-like color that decorated the walls and halls of the spectacular building, it was breath-taking in its beauty and when he was a child he never had enough of it. He remember the hours he spent exploring the vast corners of the place, finding more and more space where he went, completely amazed with the fact that such a thing could even exist, he was a slave boy back then, he came from nothing, the sight of something so majestic as tall ceilings, perfectly-sculpture statues and never ending passages was like a dream come to life. Now, that he is older it just seemed silly. He was used to it and everything seem so simple and natural he hardly paid any attention to it, although it stilled look pristine and beautiful.

For the first time in his life though, he was actually glad to return to this place.

Anakin was all for dwelling into the familiarity of the Temple but he was called upon the Council to answer and report, which he did without hesitation. Of the entire Temple, that room was the most hated one by the young Jedi. It´s sight only brought memories of punishments and scolding he preferred not to repeat and every time he was call into the chambers, he had a bad feeling about what they were about to tell him.

Once he arrived at the chamber, he was received by every single member of the distinguished Jedi Council, some of them were transmitting by hologram from different planets of the galaxy, still too deep into the war to permit themselves to come back to Temple grounds like he just had, he bowed to them respectably anyway, sensing their strong stares upon his form.

“Padawan Skywalker” the deep voice of Mace Windu welcomed him, the man was as serious as ever but a strange hint of melancholic fondness could be detected in the way he pronounced his name.

“Master” Anakin saluted.

“The news of Jabiim had reached us and I must express my deeply regret for the loss of the planet.”

“I apologize, Masters. We weren´t able to take back Jabiim from the Separatist forces, and many Jedi died trying to.” Anakin said through clenched teeth, remembering the terrible affairs during his stay there.

“We are also sorry to hear about the loss of your Master” Master Billaba said with a sad look on her face.

Anakin nodded, not falling at being able to answer to her kind condolences without exploding in his own grief.

“We know just how close you two were, it´s always tragic to lose one´s Master, but it´s even harder when the pair were such a functional and perfect match.” Master Tiin continued, bowing his large head slightly, letting him now his words were sincere.

Anakin nodded again.

“We understand your need for some resting days of the war in this trying moments” Windu intercepted again, his usually emotionless voice changed to show some compassion and sympathy. “We are to assign you a new Master who will foresaw the rest of your apprenticeship until you reach your Knighthood, but for now, take a couple of weeks of meditation and mourning.”

Anakin didn´t know how to feel about that, he was surprised by Master Windu´s reaction, since they weren´t awfully close with each other, although he knew that older Jedi had formed some sort of friendship with his wife, which would explain his apparent sadness over her death. But Anakin wasn´t ready to grieve, he wasn´t ready to accept that she could be gone, even when everything around him told him so. He wanted to share this with the Council, but he didn´t want to be looked down as a careless, ignorant child who was only saying wild assumptions out of pain of loss. The only thing preventing him from breaking down in tiny million pieces was the fact that hadn´t given up.

“Understood, Master.” Anakin said instead, deciding to save his thoughts for a later discussion.

“You may go now” Windu indicated “We have received the full report by Padawan Wyn” he stated.

Anakin almost winced at the mention of Aubrie, he didn´t know she had taken the initiative and actually came to the Council first. A sudden fear embraced him, has she told them about what happened with Stratus? Were they just being nice because they were afraid of him? Were they testing him?

Before he could question any further, the distinctive eyes of Master Yoda turned at him and he, who had remained strangely quiet during the whole exchange, opened his mouth to speak.

“Young Skywalker” he started “See you tomorrow in my meditation quarters, I will” the old Master ordered.

Anakin didn´t know what it was all about, but the all gripping fear invaded him once more, making him shake with uncertainty. He managed to nod and bow before crossing the room with long legs to get away from the place.

Once more, he had been right. The Council Chamber was only sight of bad news and terrible feelings.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

If Obi-Wan thought she could just simply escape swiftly without any problems on the horizon, she had been terribly mistaken. The minute they were set and ready to steal some ship of the Castle and make their most needed retreat to Coruscant, or at the very least, a Republic friendly planet, Ventress and her lackeys found them. Apparently, the riots caused by the prisoners alerted them about the whole situation, and the Danthominian had gone immediately to make sure than Obi-Wan hadn´t been one of the escaped prisoners; she had found her gone then.

“We have to stop meeting each other like this” Obi-Wan said with a small smirk. The young Jedi was tired and more than enough bruised by Ventress many tortures, but the Force was her ally and because of that she was not afraid of confrontation.

“Kenobi!” Ventress roared with unmistakable anger “You will not escape me this time” she promised.

“I think I already did” the Jedi corrected her, mockingly showing her free unchained wrists. With her right hand she moved to her belt to grip her saber, which felt comforting against the palm of her hand. It was like meeting an old friend again.

“I won´t be merciful this time, I will skip the torture, I´ll just kill you!”

With that promise came the violence. Ventress moved as fast as always, all full of energy and uncontrolled anger, and Obi-Wan, for once, struggle to match her with her weakened state. But with Asajj things were getting all too familiar, her battling ability was wild and ferocious to the point of being messy, and it didn´t matter how strong her strikes or how fast her footwork, if something was messy it was meant to fail. Obi-Wan was the complete opposite, as a gifted Soresu user she knew how to be precise and clean, limiting herself to move around her ground with small steps and to not waste unnecessary energy.

Alpha was busy firing blaster bolts to guards and Separatist droids, covering her back and letting her handle the dark user alone. The sun was coming down on whatever planet they were in the middle of and the sunset was setting on the horizon, painting their skins with an orange light.

“Oh, dear, Dooku must be so disappointed” Obi-Wan remarked, using her sharp tongue once more “I mean, about your inability to learn to use Form II properly.”

“Shut up! You false Jedi!” the pale woman barked, slashing her red sabers around, trying to hit her head.

“Really, Ventress, do not yell that loud, I´m right here” the Jedi reminded her, blocking her strikes and throwing her off balance, making her take some steps back just not to lose and arm.

“You are not escaping me, Kenobi…” the woman told her.

“I have no intentions to be your captive” Obi-Wan said, finally spotting Alpha retreating to the hanger of the Castle, must having found a ship they could use. “You are not a very good host, anyways.”

“Is this funny to you, Obi-Wan?” the woman hissed, walking around her like a Nexu hunting it´s meat “I am the better Jedi, I am superior to your false teachings and false Order, and I will show you just that!”

Obi-Wan frowned at the word choosing but didn´t commented on it.

“You must feel so highly of yourself” Ventress continued “so righteous. You are nothing but a speckle of dirt beneath my nails.”

“If that were the case, one has to wonder why I always manage to beat you when we see each other” the Jedi said with a lifted eyebrow.

“Stop your jokes!”

“Why? Because they infuriate you? How childish.”

“Kenobi!” she warned, lifting one of her sabers.

Obi-Wan looked up and smiled at the ship lowering next to her. Ventress looked around at the sight of it, realizing that her allies had been defeated by Alpha already.

“Well, this has been nice” Obi-Wan stated, jumping into the shuttle once it had come low enough “well, not really, but you get the point.” She shrugged “I will see you another time” the Jedi saluted with an easy smirk.

The angle must have shown Ventress the extra lightsaber on Obi-Wan´s belt because she gasped with instant terror and shouted.

“Thief! Give that lightsaber back! It doesn´t belong to you!”

“Neither to you, Ventress” Obi-Wan screamed back, closing the open door and making a signal to Alpha so he could fly away.

Once she made it to the co-pilot seat, Alpha was giving her an annoyed look.

“What?” Obi-Wan questioned him with a confused look of her own.

“Must you provoke her every time?” Alpha wondered while it conducted the ship far and away into space.

“Oh, as if you were any better, Alpha. You taunt the enemies every time.”

“Yeah, but not ones with sabers” he fixed while staring straight ahead.

Obi-Wan chuckled at the comment.

“Well, yes, but it would hardly be me if I didn´t…” she shrugged with a tiny tired smile.

Alpha gave her an amused look and she knew she had won the argument.

“That you wouldn´t, General.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Anakin wasn´t able to return to his quarters as he had wanted to, the minute he had left the Council Chamber he had sense the dread that had almost overcome him during his stay on Jabiim. He couldn’t return to the room without thinking of Obi-Wan. The thought of his Master not being there, as she had promised she would be, it was consuming and almost unbearable. He just couldn´t do it. Instead, he roamed the Temple like a lost ghost, and ultimately hidden himself in the hangar, trying to fix some ships and improve the ones that were set and ready, just to distract himself from the storm of his thoughts.

Now, it was dark, and some young initiates came to him telling something about a meeting in the open gardens, Anakin had frowned at the mention of such a thing, but the younglings seemed really fascinated by the idea and insisted that it was going to be a special event, that most of the Jedi still in the Temple were going to assist, so Anakin ultimately did, if only to use it as an excuse to not go back to his quarters.

What he didn´t expected though, was the sight of a blinding blue light in the middle of the gardens. The whole thing was beautiful, and many people were gathering around it just looking at the great beam. It was sparkling with tiny snowflake-like lights and some strange butterfly figures were dancing around and inside it. He had never seen something like that at all.

He came closer, facing the beam with curiosity and wonder, busy getting lost in the appearance when a warm hand landed on his shoulder.

Anakin turned to find Aubrie standing next to him with a serious face.

“Aubrie, what are you doing here?”

“I came to see the monument.”

“Monument?” Anakin asked, looking back at the light in front of his face.

“It´s a tribute. To the fallen Jedi.” Aubrie explained getting next to him “It´s supposed to be a reminder of our heroes lost in the Clone Wars, can you hear it?”

Anakin frown deepened.

“Hear it?” he asked.

“Yeah, come closer.”

Anakin did, until he was directly in front of it, so close he could just move an arm and touch it; suddenly a murmur of voices assaulted his ears. They were names, told by different voices of different people, he recognized some of them and even knew the names they were speaking of.

“I can hear it!” Anakin said with shock.

“It records the voice of people, you are supposed to put your hand in and gripped a butterfly, then you speak a name of people that have died in the war, the butterfly will fly around the beam for everyone to listen.” Aubrie told him with a curious look on her eyes, she seemed emotionless about the idea but he could tell she was only doing it out of habit.

“Have you recorded one?”

“Not yet, although it seems a nice gesture” she said with a shrug.

Anakin stared at her for a couple of minutes, her short hair was a bit longer, and her eyes seemed tired and reflective. He could tell she hadn´t rested even when she was probably dying of sleep. Nightmares, he realized. He knew about them too well, they were his oldest companions and could found some pity inside his heart at the sight of her friend struggling with them as well.

“I didn´t tell them anything…” Aubrie said without ceremony.

“What?” Anakin asked almost lost.

She looked at him by the corner of her eyes.

“I didn´t tell them. About Stratus” she repeated, amber orbs staring at him with a glint of defiance “I told them he is dead, I didn´t tell them how it happened.”

Anakin took a few moments to think about the words, almost perplexed by them. Aubrie returned to look at the light with renew interest.

“Why?”

“It´s not my burden” She responded.

Anakin frowned deeply, even more confused than before. Her words were cold and empty, as if the sole thought of accusing him was worthless and undeserving of thought; the gesture offended him somehow even when he ought to be pleased about her loyalty to him. But he knew that her silence wasn´t draw out of love or trust in him, but out of dismissiveness, of punishment even.

“It´s yours.” Aubrie continued. “I heard that Yoda called you in for some meditation lessons with him, because of your Master and your relationship with her.” She remarked with a look.

Anakin almost choked in his spit at the mention of a relationship but quickly calmed himself remembering that she was referring to the well-known close bond between him and his wife, not because she knew something about their secret marriage.  

“I think that´s a good opportunity to open up about other issues, such as your negative emotions.”

Her condescending tone was almost infuriating but Anakin managed to gulp it down in favor of remembering that she just kept her silence about a matter that any other Jedi would have reprimanded him about and accused him for. He should be grateful, not furious.

“At the end, the decision it´s yours and weather you decide to tell or not it´s of no consequence to me, I would not push the matter” she finished touching the light with the tip of her fingers.

“Thank you…” Anakin breathed.

“Just this once” she told him, promising him with a strong look “I will keep my silence just this once. For you.”

Anakin smiled, taking the token with good manners and nodding without saying a word. Both of them turned to the light before them, seeing the blue colors dancing on their faces.

Anakin latched at the light, taking a butterfly out of it and holding it carefully on his leather covered hand, placing it in front of Aubrie for her to see.

“I think we should give our respects then…”

Aubrie looked at him with weary eyes but nodded anyway.

Both look at the tiny thing, shining almost white with a flashing blue and moving its wings, expecting and waiting the names it was designed to carry. Aubrie came closer and put her pink lips at level with his hand, almost kissing the fabric of his glove.

“Tae Diath…” She started with a whisper and glassy eyes “…Mak Lotor, Windo Nend, Elora Sund…”

Anakin allowed a slight breath escape his mouth at the mention of the names of the members of the Padawan Pack, feeling his heart constricting at the memory of their friends, their dead friends. Since they have been killed he had felt nothing but anger, fury, despair, he has not allowed himself to just feel sadness. This was the first time he felt only grief, only regret by their loss and their fate.

“…Kass Tod, Vaabesh, Zule Xiss…” Aubrie continued, tears going down her face like rivers in a forest.

Anakin stared at her crying eyes and allowed a single tear escape his own blue eyes in return. Sharing the pain and the unfairness of being the ones who made it out alive instead of the rest of them.

They sent each other a meaningful look before speaking again, a tiny whisper told like a secret promise of renewed friends.

“…Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´m back from the death! I apologize I was busy with school and work and couldn´t find the time nor the energy to write, but I´m oficially done with both of those things so I was able to finish this!   
> I´m sorry for the lack of drawing too, I was supposed to give you a new one for this chapter but couldn´t get it done and I didn´t want to make you wait. Anyway, I will post it with the next chapter I guess. For now I will leave you with an attempt of self promotion and leave a playlist, that it´s not specifically made for this fanfic but it´s mine and it´s obikin so... enjoy:
> 
> http://8tracks.com/lorraineblake/i-always-say-how-i-don-t-need-you-but


	6. Clone Wars: Death (Part 6)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything that ever lived, ends with death.

Anakin was seated in the middle of the room staring at Master Yoda with intense nervousness. He had been inside the meditation chambers for a while now, and the older Jedi hadn´t said a thing over the duration of the visit, which made the young Padawan anxious.

The apprentice had feared the worst when Yoda called him in; Aubrie had assured him she hasn´t said anything to the Council but it was these silent terrifying moments what made him doubt the sincerity of the promise.

“Clouded, your mind is, young Skywalker…” Yoda suddenly said, Anakin almost jumped on his seat after hearing the unexpected sound of the Jedi´s voice.

“Master?” he enquired with a lifted eyebrow.

“Great fear, I sense in you” the older creature continued.

Anakin couldn´t answer to that, he just clenched his teeth until he could hear the sound of the molars creaking against one another. He had heard this so many times before, and time and time again he had tried to overcome his apprehensions, to beat his short-comings as an apprentice, but whatever he is lacking he cannot see. It seems that no matter how hard the training he endures, how far he goes to accomplish control over his own mind and how deeply he immerses himself into studying the Code, he simply cannot beat his own demons.

“I can assure you, Master. I´m trying” he replied after a while, insecure of the sole idea of saying something out of place.

“Mmm” Yoda hummed with a mysterious glint in his green eyes “Afraid I am, that the problem that is.”

Anakin tilted his head, ultimately confused, trying to find some sense into the situation before him. Master Yoda is known for being cryptic and vague about his teachings, preferring for his students to find the answers to their questions by themselves, but right now the whole conversation escaped him, he couldn´t even begin to fathom what the elder Jedi wanted from him.

With a pointed look and a serious face that chilled Anakin to the bone, the Master only muttered:

“Do or do not, there is not try.”

That was the last thing Yoda told him before the meditation session began.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Padmé Amidala was just returning from another arduous day in the Senate, she has been back from Naboo only a couple of weeks and she was already missing the beautiful view from her home-planet; not that Coruscant wasn´t a pretty sight, with its impossibly tall buildings and shining lights, but the permanent bustle of the city-planet was sometimes exhausting and loud, a couple of things that made her life heavy.

She walked into her apartment with every intention to just lay her aching feet up in a comfortable furniture and relax having a nice prepared meal before going to sleep when she noticed something extra sitting in the living room.

There, in all its glory, was Anakin Skywalker, staring at the endless dark sky before him, the lights of the city shining bright and illuminating his stony unreadable face.

“Ani?” Padmé asked loudly with a surprised gasp.

The Padawan turned at the mention of his name, and instantaneously smiled widely.

“Padmé…” he said in a deep breath before sprint towards her.

The Senator almost felt the air being knocked out of her lungs at the sudden strong arms that rounded her and pushed her against a firm chest. She had missed this man, missed him with all the passion of her heart and she almost felt herself crying at the sight of his healthy unharmed appearance.

“I thought you were in the war…” she confessed through closed eyes.

“I was. I just returned.”

“How long will you be here?” she asked, trying to separate herself from him to look at his face, to make sure he was safe.

Anakin pulled away just a bit to allow her the sight she wanted, and he smiled openly when he got to stare at her gorgeous brown eyes in return. Padmé was truly an angel, graced with a beauty so divine that he sometimes gets lost into the holiness of it.

“Ani…” she called, trying to take him out of his daydreaming.

“Oh, right!” he said, embarrassed and laughing at his own childishness “I don´t know. But I´m bound to planet for a while, at least until some things get to settle first…”

“I´m glad!” she exclaimed with sincerity. Padmé´s small hands touched and caressed his soft cheeks and Anakin almost wanted to close his eyes at the action, the gesture was so sweet and comforting that he almost wished to get lost into it.

“Ani, where is Obi-Wan?” Padmé asked, trying to pry around the room to maybe catch a glimpse of the Jedi Knight standing close by.

And as fast as Anakin spirits had been lifted, they came crashing down. The Jedi Padawan quickly disentangled his arms from the female form as is she was on fire, and with a hanged head, walked away until he reached the open balcony.

“Ani?” She wondered once more, this time, worried. “Has something happened?”

Her enquiry was met with nothing but silence and the disturbed look in Anakin´s face told her everything she needed to know. Something bad had definitely happen.

“Too much has happened, I would say…” Anakin admitted eventually, looking down at the white shiny floor instead of the city.

“Then tell me” she begged, coming closer to him and trying to gain back his attention.

“Obi-Wan, she…” Anakin whispered. Padmé could see a new set of tears in his eyes; this time, they were not from happiness or excitement, they were beholders of too much sorrow. The sight of them was chilling and filled the ex-monarch with apprehension.

“Maybe we should take a seat first…” Padmé invited, taking Anakin´s gloved hand in hers and guiding him onto one of the sofas of her living room. A quick look to one of her handmaidens that was just entering the room was given, a secret message of privacy and a nod to direct a usual procedure. The servant quickly retreated before the Jedi could caught sight of her.

“Obi-Wan, she is…” Anakin muttered, sitting and exhaling a deep breath “She is dead.”

“What!?” Padmé almost screamed. Anakin turned to look at her with wide open eyes, he could see the terror on her irises.

“Jabiim, we were on a mission there… and she…” Anakin couldn´t quite explain so he babbled trying to ease the renewed pain that appeared inside his chest.

“How!? Are you sure?”

“Of course I´m sure!” Anakin yelled, angry and impotent.

Padmé almost yelped at the sudden sign of annoyance, but remained by his side, carefully staring at the troubled man beside her. Anakin was pale, his usual golden skin missing some of its natural vibrant color, and his eyes were damp and tired; she hadn´t noticed that in the excitement of his arrival but now she could see the signs were there from the start.

“Ani, I´m so sorry…” she whispered with a shaky voice. Still completely lost and shocked by the terrible news. Obi-Wan had always seemed so strong, so crucial in Anakin´s life that it was almost impossible to imagine that one day she would just be gone.

“I saw her die. An explosion and then nothing, not even her body. But…”

Padmé bit her lips nervously and then stared back at him at his sudden quietness.

“But…?”

“I know it´s mad but I think she is not really dead…”

The woman looked at the young warrior as if he had grown a second head. Padmé was more than confused by the statement.

“But you just said…?”

“I know what I said” he interrupted almost harshly “I know what I saw, but ever since that happened I´ve been having dreams, vivid dreams…”

“Like visions? Again?” Padmé asked, probably remembering what happened during his stay at Naboo when he was assigned with protecting her, remembering the terrible nightmares about his mother, which ultimately ended up being prophetic visions.

“Something like that, but… different…” he tried to point out, voice still low and tainted with insecurity “they are not like visions of something that can come to be, but more like messages…”

“From who?” she wondered.

“I don´t know. From her. From the Force. I don´t know” he exclaimed, allowing his head to fall, both of his hands gripping the short strands of his golden hair with desperation.

“Hey, hey, Ani, calm down…” Padmé begged, pulling him on her chest, caressing his head with her tiny soft hands.

Anakin could smell her perfume on her white neck and he found a small comfort on being held like a small child, he knew he would probably look like a foolish weakling, but he didn´t care at the moment. He felt so lonely, so incomplete without the presence of his wife; before this it had been Aubrie who had kept him sane, concentrated in the battle ahead in Jabiim, so focused and centered in the present that he hadn´t time to just fall apart like he is doing right now. He hadn´t have time to just grieve.

“I don´t know what to do without her, Padmé…” he cried, ugly hot tears falling again from his eyes, wetting his skin and traveling down his face until they dropped onto Padmé´s colorful dress.

“Shh, Shh…” The Senator´s voice filled his ears like a prayer “…It´s okay, it´s okay…”

“I can´t live without her, Padmé…” he swore with a broken voice “I love her, I love her so much…”

“I know you do” she promised, kissing his head with tenderness and looking down on him like a mother does a child.

“I couldn´t protect her. I was there and I couldn´t even protect her, I promise I would, I promise I would be the strongest Jedi ever so I could never allowed death to take anyone else from me…!” he yelled while shaking still inside the warm embrace.

“Anakin…” Padmé called, separating his body from her chest and taking a good look at the young man´s face, cleaning the tears that appeared on his eyes “You cannot talk like that, there was nothing you could do…”

“There was plenty I could have done! And I just stood there and let her died!”

“You said you believe she was alive...”

“I do…” he admitted “but… I tried to find her…I tried to find a sign…”

“And?”

“There was nothing. No body, no Force signature, no clue…” he growled between teeth, whipping the residual tears from his face with the back of his hand with new violence.

Padmé stared at him in silence, placing her hands on the skirt that covered her legs. As a diplomat she knew how to talk and think fast, she was obligated to do so to be a successful politician, but being in front of the man she possibly loved the most in the galaxy right now, she didn´t know how to use her words right to sooth his pain.

“Maybe if you talked with the Council about it?” she tried.

Anakin buffed like she had just said something utterly stupid and stood up from his place on the sofa.

“Like they are going to listen!”

“Well, they are Jedi and Obi-Wan is one of their own. Jedi protect each other.” Padmé explained. “Surely if they hear that there is a possibility of Obi-Wan being alive, they will take it.”

Now it was Anakin´s turn to look at her with surprised eyes, and not for good reason.

“You don’t know the Jedi Order at all, Padmé.” He told her with almost angry eyes. “They wouldn´t listen even if I threw a thousand proofs down their feet…”

“Ani…” Padmé called with a tired sigh.

The young man started walking around the room like a caged beast, impatient and full of contained energy that needed to be released. Padmé wondered if he had always being like this and she just never noticed it. When she met him he was nothing but a sweet child, looking at him now, all grown and tall, he was even more lost than he ever was before when he was a slave.

“Do you wish to have dinner?” the female suddenly asked.

Anakin´s head raised from his personal musings to look at her with an unreadable expression, still walking around the living room although with a much lower pace.

“I haven´t eaten anything yet, and I´m famished” she conversed with a sad smile that didn´t reach her brown eyes “You can tell me more about your dreams or visions or whatever they are and maybe… we can figure out a way to solve them.”

The blond Jedi seemed to meditate the request for a minute or two before nodding with some stiffness.

“Great. I´ll have it all set.” She raised from her seat and started to walk in search for her staff.

“Padmé…”

The young woman turned to stare at Anakin´s serious face looking back at her with a weird mix of uncertainty and sorrow.

“Yes, Ani?” She asked when she realized he wasn´t going to continue.

“May I sleep here tonight?” he wondered, properly embarrassed to even asking such a thing. “I shouldn´t make such a request but I really don´t feel ready to go back to the Temple just yet…”

Padmé stared at him when she sensed he wasn´t finished.

“…It´s just… I don´t want to sleep in our quarters. To go back there and to be alone in the room that I used to share with Obi-Wan… I don´t think I´m fine with that.” He confessed with a heavy heart.

The politician walked closer to him and touch his arm kindly, bringing him back to the moment and making him look at her instead of the uninteresting floor.

“Of course you can. You can stay tonight and all the nights you need.”

Anakin smiled kindly but without any real emotion and allowed his eyes to follow the petite form of Padmé Amidala as she walked away and out of the room.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“Ugh…” Obi-Wan buffed. She was seated in the back of the ship for hours now, trying and failing to rest a little and ease her tired bones.

“Are you okay, General?” Alpha asked at the sound of her gasp.

“I´ve been definitely better…” she said while standing up from her improvised cot and holding her side. “How long until we reach Coruscant…?”

“A couple of days, still” Alpha answered. They have stopped to refuel and get some food at some point but being in Separatist territory that grew increasingly dangerous, so they couldn´t risk to look for medical supplies, and while Alpha was sure he had some broken bones here and there, Obi-Wan´s wounds were even worse.

“That doesn´t look very good…” the clone Commander muttered with a glance at Obi-Wan´s red stained robe.

“Well, yeah. It keeps opening again and again…” she said between clenched teeth and sending an annoyed look at the wound.

“Can´t you heal yourself?”

“I´ve been trying to but it seems that blasted Sith Mask left it´s sequels. I can feel the Force but I can barely touch it, let alone use it.” She said while taking the chair beside Alpha in the cockpit.

“Can you hold on until we arrive at a safest route?” he asked, genuinely preoccupied.

Obi-Wan smiles at the obvious concern and dedicates him a small nod for his worries.

“I don´t know. The pain is worse, I think” she confesses and chances a look at the ruined clothes. She was dirty and everything hurt. With the adrenaline of the battle gone, all that remained was her tortured broken body, which was trying hard to tell her that she was only human and mortal, definitely mortal. “Try to intercept any Republic frequency. Find the closest flagship you can detect, they would be able to aid us.”

“With a stolen Separatist ship, Sir?” Alpha mocks with a rough bark of laughter “Our chances are slim.”

“Well…” Obi-Wan whispers with a humorless smile “Maybe we can possibly send them a message before they vaporize us with one of their cannons”

“That would be our luck, Sir.” Alpha buffed.

Obi-Wan grinned despite her obvious pain and took a deep breath, trying to find the Force within herself, asking for guidance and help in some way but all the she head was nothingness and all she could feel was the stinging pain on her side.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Anakin was meditating. Go figure.

He has never been good at it, and most of the time Obi-Wan had to force him into it, but despite his lack of interest with the activity, he actually did find it relaxing and helpful. He woke up that morning in Padmé´s apartment, he had been sleeping there for a couple of days now, taking the Senator up her offer of being away from his own quarters as much as he liked, but by morning, the Padawan took his retreat back to the Temple; he went on with his life and his meditation lessons with Master Yoda, which was the reason why he was attempting to meditate on his own now.

The little green Master had actually suggested that he needed to find his center in order to clear his head, and even Anakin at his most petulant behavior wouldn´t deny that there was some sense into that. He had been forbidden to leave Coruscant for the time being, which frustrated him because he felt that all eyes were on him, as if the Masters were scared he would suddenly flip and cause some disaster of some kind. All he wanted was to find a way to decipher his nightmares so he could finally have his answer: was Obi-Wan alive?

“You meditating… Well, that´s a sight to behold.”

Anakin sighed deeply without opening his eyes or disentangling his body from the lotus position he was in.

“Master Vos…” he mumbled with a low voice as a salute.

“Don´t offend yourself, Skywalker. I´ve never been good with that meditation bullshit either.”

“I didn´t” Anakin corrected while finally relenting his efforts at concentrating and opening his eyes to look at the Kiffar Master.

Quinlan looked exactly as he remembered him from Jabiim: Tall, proud and dark. Towering over his form like a building, both of them covered by the shade of a big tree. Anakin thought it would be a great idea to meditate in the open gardens of the Temple, closer to the plants and flowers that were filled with the Living Fore, but in reality, he was only trying to find another excuse to avoid his quarters all together.

Master Vos took a seat next to him without any invitation and the young Padawan moved a little to give him space next to him.

“How long have you been back?” Anakin asked, not really interested but thinking it would be polite conversation.

“Just got in yesterday. I heard you have been back for a couple of days already.”

Anakin shrugged.

“You won´t be going out on a mission soon?” Quinlan asked while getting into a meditation position as well.

“No” Anakin answered. “Apparently, I´m not allowed to go on my own.”

The young Jedi didn´t want to sound bitter but it was difficult to say something like that and not being taken in such way. The older Jedi Master didn´t seem to pay any mind to it though, and Anakin closed his eyes, trying to submerge himself back into the depths of his own mind.

“You can come along with me if you wish” Quinlan offered with a friendly voice. “I´m sure they´d give you permission if you came with me.”

The strange proposal almost made Anakin wince, why was he being so considerate all of a sudden? They have never being close, not even when Obi-Wan was around, and besides that was a terrible suggestion; after all, weren´t Anakin and Quinlan, ones of the most unorthodox members of the Order? Putting them together was like mixing Death Sticks with Luna-Weed, it would probably only bring problems to both of them and everyone around them.

“No, thank you, Master” Anakin said with gratitude. “I think I will just stay low for a little while.”

“Words I´ve never thought I´d hear from Anakin Skywalker” Quinlan admitted with a little giggle. Anakin opened up an eye to look at the relaxed form of the Jedi Master.

Anakin knew that Quinlan was an old acquaintance of Obi-Wan, she rarely mentioned him but she mostly never talked about anyone, really. It was hard to imagine how the two of them could have been friends, they seemed so different from each other it was like trying to compare the night with the day, or the moon with the sun. Quinlan was loud, half-mad and relaxed, while Obi-Wan was smart, quiet and graceful, although he could see his wife´s wittiness combining itself pretty well with Quinlan´s care-free nature.

“Master Yoda has put me up for some Meditation lessons “Anakin felt the need to explain when the Kiffar Master leaned his chin on the palm of his hand to have a good look at him.

Quinlan suddenly sobered up a little bit.

“It´s expected.” He said.

Anakin lifted an eyebrow. Quinlan sighed with a more serious demeanor.

“Jabiim wasn´t easy.” He muttered, almost defeated, sending him a strange look and licking his lips nervously.

Anakin almost felt himself growing stiff. So this was what it was all about, then. Since his arrival from that blasted planet, everyone in the Temple has been giving him side-eye looks and careful words; Jedi were usually like that, so he hadn´t really paid much attention to it, but now it was all clear. They were all wary of him. Even Quinlan Vos.

Quinlan had come and made his offer as a sign of compassion, he felt sorry for him since he had lost his Master. The sole thought of it infuriated him. Pity. They all pitied him. Poor Padawan Skywalker, lonely and Masterless. Miserable and incapable of controlling himself. And even more, wasn´t Quinlan known for being one of the Order best spies? It was well noted that he knew how to find his way into people´s confidence, the idea of him utilizing his charms on Anakin just to see if he was going to give him something substantial, something compromising that maybe will expose his inexperience and his incompetence to the Council almost drove him into rage.

The blond Jedi made an effort not to bite his lips until they open up and bleed; he didn´t want to start a fight, especially in such a public place, but the thought of being looked down as if he were a child… Countless of Jedi lost their Masters in this kriffing war, Aubrie was living proof of that, but none of them were put in constant watch. The meditation lessons he could understand; his grief over his Master was real, intense and buried so deep that he needed the attention and the help but he didn´t want to be treated as an exploding bomb. As a _prisoner_.

“Is that why you´ve come?” he bites with a furious look. “Did the Council put you up to this?”

Quinlan almost winces at his harsh tone.

“No.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Anakin…” Vos starts, the same patronizing tone than Obi-Wan used to use when he was being difficult as a youngling. The same disapproving gesture on his face. It made Anakin want to scream. “You obviously need help, I was just trying to-“

“To show me off? To see how incapable I am to handle myself?” Anakin finishes for him, losing his meditation position and raising to his feet.

“Nobody´s saying that here-”

“No, you are just thinking about it” Anakin scoffs, clenching his fists so hard he almost makes his own skin bleed. “You know, if you and the rest of the other Jedi are really all that willing to help me, maybe you should have sent some more aid when we were all dying in Jabiim, how about that?”

Quinlan´s eyes shined almost dangerously at the accusation, and he also raised to his feet with anger.

“You know what, you little brat? I´m sorry, I don´t know if you´ve noticed but we are in the middle of a war over here…” Quinlan declares, almost getting into Anakin´s face.

“Yes, I´ve noticed, since I´ve been fighting in it…”

“We don´t have reinforcements, we don´t even have enough weapons to just send your way, everybody have their hands full…”

“You let her die!” Anakin accused, almost seeing red, being nonsensical in his rage. “It´s all your fault! You sent her to that hell of a planet!”

“So were other Jedi!” Quinlan corrected, taking some steps back “We actually sent more troops and Jedi to Jabiim than to any other planet!”

“I don´t care…” Anakin threatens. “The only reason me and Aubrie made it out of that kriffing ball of mud was because Chancellor Palpatine had the sense to send a rescue party!”

“And everything has to be about you, isn´t it, Skywalker?” Quinlan accuses with an ugly glare.

By that time, Anakin is so mad, so tangled in his own madness that he fails to notice the small audience of Jedi that had interrupted their usual strolling through the gardens and stop and stare at them. They weren´t too many of them, since the war had them all busy, but the ones who heard their screams were quickly approaching, confused and surprised at the sudden explosion between the two of them.

“You called yourself her friend…” Anakin spat, suddenly remembering how dismissive Quinlan was when Obi-Wan died in Jabiim, how carelessly he shrugged her death off his shoulders and told Anakin to do the same. To forget her, to let her go. As if she was nothing, as if Anakin´s heart wasn´t missing from the moment she disappeared from this life.

“You let her died in that planet, you were there and you did nothing, you just watched her die…” the younger Jedi whimpered, anger mixing with grief.

Quinlan stopped his own anger at the sight of the furious tears, he almost felt lost at the change of phrasing. One minute Anakin was lashing out and accusing the Jedi of abandoning them, and the next, he was mumbling nonsense that have never happened. Quinlan wasn´t there when Obi-Wan perished, in the first place.

“You just stood there…” Anakin repeated, almost to himself. Probably to himself.

Before Quinlan could step in and approached the broken Jedi, the tall figure of Master Windu and some other remaining members of the Council walked in, probably summoned by the commotion they created.

“What is going on here?” Windu demanded with his usual stiff attitude.

Quinlan looked at him with a confused look, he wish he could explain that himself. Anakin seemed to sober up at the sound of Mace´s voice and straighten up himself and use the back of his robe to clean his eyes.

“We heard some screams from the halls…” Master Tiin explained with a concerned look on his face.

“I´m sorry, Masters” Vos apologized with a gentler tone “we had a disagreement, we overly-exaggerated.”

“Didn´t sound like a casual disagreement, Master Vos” Plo Koon said with a movement of his hand.

“Well, yeah. We were both a bit tense… for the war, both of our latest missions weren´t really successful.” Quinlan offered with a fake smile, hoping that they would take the olive branch and let it be.

Windu turned to look at the quiet figure of Anakin instead.

“Skywalker?” Mace called “Have you something to say?”

The Jedi apprentice seemed to look his way with a much more graceful poise, his shoulders were squared and proud instead of the crouching position they had when he was almost crying, and his eyes, while still a little irritated, were hard like durasteel, not shining with tears.

“No, Master Windu. I apologize, I´ve been feeling a bit tense by the situation concerning Jabiim and was only venting improperly.”

“I thought you were taking Meditation lessons with Master Yoda…” Mace reminded with a lifted eyebrow.

“I am, Master” Anakin nodded “I´m ought to try harder.”

Windu didn´t seem convinced at all but had the kindness not to continue his interrogation, with a last look at the young Padawan, he turned to send a look at Vos and give him one of his signature pointing gestures, one that said to stop whatever nonsense he had gotten himself into this time; with that, he turned on his heels and went back inside the Temple.

The other members of the Council quickly followed suit and the small crowd that had formed itself on the edges of the garden seemed inclined to imitate them and stop peering back at them with interest. Quinlan looked at Anakin, who stared at the floor with any real attention, and feeling the Kiffar eyes on him, turned to look at him as well.

“I apologize for my words, Master Vos. It was uncalled for” he said without actually meaning it, adopting one of those almost robotic voices that Quinlan used to hear naughty Padawan use when they were being scolded for making some kind of small disaster.

“It´s fine…” He said. It wasn´t fine really, but there was nothing more he could said. The situation escaped him entirely and he felt confused and cheated enough as it was “I apologize too, shouldn´t have snap out…”

Anakin nodded and bowed with respect before walking away, brown robe flaring into the air behind his steps.

A strange burning sensation of being seen quickly made the back of his neck itch though, and stopping at the edge of a pillar that conducted at one of the entrances of the Temple, and with a quickly turn and glance, Anakin could see Aubrie´s eyes staring at him from the other side of the gardens. He hadn´t seen her since their shared moment with the monument of the fallen Jedi, and he knew them to be at peace with each other, but the sight of her amber eyes looking at him with a shade of disappointment and preoccupation almost chilled him to the bone.

He could see Quinlan walking away, not even noticing him staring at his back, and Anakin had to contain the sudden wave of anger that invaded him. Raising his eyes to look at the corner of the gardens where Aubrie was standing, Anakin felt surprised at finding her gone. He knew that he had made a fool of himself, but he couldn´t help it, so without preamble he decided to get away for a little while, into a place he knew he would always be welcomed and understood.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“Please tell me you are not gonna die on me, General…”

Alpha´s voice was like a distant whisper and Obi-Wan fought against the tiredness of her clouded mind to actually understand him, once she did though, she could see the hard eyes of the soldier staring down at her pathetic form.

She was laid in one of the benches of the ship, there were not cots nor rooms where she could sleep but at the very least she could somehow rest onto one of this surfaces.

“Not just yet” Obi-Wan promised with a bad attempt at humor “After everything we´ve been through, dying by a silly blaster wound in the middle of hyperspace doesn´t sound very heroic.”

“How did you managed to get it anyway?” Alpha asked while crouching down beside her body. Trying to have a good look at the bloody bruise.

“When we were making our way out of the Castle, right before facing Ventress…” Obi-Wan explained, trying to get into a sitting position and failing when a clear twinge of pain on her side made her stop. “I didn´t think much of it at the time, didn´t realize it was bad until we were already in the ship.”

“I thought Jedi were tougher than this” Alpha said with prepotency, but the Jedi Master could detect the humor behind the words.

“Well, usually yes. But the Force fail to warn me of the attack, I suspect that the Sith Mask had something to do with it…”

“That torture device seemed to rough you up more than quite a bit, Sir.”

“It´s the story of my life, Alpha.” Obi-Wan muttered through clenched teeth, finally turning until she was seated and used the aid of the soldier to stand up to her feet.

“I don´t think you should be standing, Sir.”

“Neither do I, but this bench it´s killing my back, so…” Obi-Wan joked while taking some steps over the dark floor and into the cockpit. The spacecraft was small, it was built to transport soldiers not to house them, and so the insignificant thing was only equipped with a cockpit, some seating benches and a ramp.

“Please, tell me there is good news.” Obi-Wan begged with a look behind her shoulder.

“A good and a bad one, actually.” The soldier corrected while walking to take power of the ship controls once again.

“Start with the bad one” The Jedi Master petitioned, taking her own seat beside the clone. “That way at least I get to smile at the end instead of cry.”

Alpha snorted at the bad joke.

“Well, the bad one is that we are out of food and I couldn´t make contact with any Republic flagships, besides the communication system seems to be damaged…”

“That are like three bad news, Alpha…” Obi-Wan growled, clearly feeling cheated by his response.

“The good one is that if we are not vaporized by Republic defenses along the way, we will be in Coruscant in a couple of hours.” Alpha continued without paying mind to the Jedi´s commentary.

“So, your definition of good news is that maybe with some luck, we will not be vaporized by Republic cannons before we reach the planet…” Obi-Wan said with a side-glare, the soldier only frowned.

“Well, when you put it like that…”

“You have a worst sense of humor than Anakin, I swear” Obi-Wan mumbled while shifting in her place to get in a better position.

“Try to heal yourself, General, I will occupy my time with dodging cannons and laser beams” Alpha promised with a grin.

“You better do” Obi-Wan ordered, closing her eyes and getting into a comfortable position to get into a healing trance, or whatever that she could accomplish with her weak link to the Force. “Because if I died like this I will never live it down… Oh, wait…” she badly joked with a little smile.

Alpha laughed and focus on the dark way ahead.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Anakin didn´t really know what he was doing there in that moment, but he felt the urgency to run away from the Temple before things became more heated. Anywhere he went inside the place he felt there were eyes looking at him, trying to figure him out or to see something wrong with him, so he quickly found himself into the Senate building instead.

He knew he had no business there, but the presence of Chancellor Palpatine had always calmed him down when he felt misunderstood or bullied. Being a Jedi wasn´t easy, especially with the kind of past that Anakin had, which already set him apart from his other peers; Palpatine, though, seemed to see through those differences and always managed to understand him and listen to him when no one else would, even when Obi-Wan herself couldn´t understand him or when she took the Council´s side on everything.

And now he felt he needed to have that support again; he felt a visit to the Chancellor was long overdue anyway, since he hasn´t got the chance to thank him for getting him out of Jabiim.

“Anakin! My dear boy!” The Chancellor said with a joyous voice, standing up from his desk to greet him.

Anakin smiled kindly at the warm welcome.

“Chancellor…” he saluted with a respectful vow.

“Anakin, I´m glad that you are well” Palpatine said with a kind smile of his, making a motion to invite him to take a seat at his desk.

“It´s all thanks to your help, Chancellor” Anakin bows respectfully once again, showing his gratitude “I thank you for your aid.”

“Oh, it´s nothing, Anakin. I only did what it should have been done. It´s a shame, really, what happen on Jabiim…”

Anakin wanted to wince at the mention of that planet but he controlled himself and pretended he didn´t hurt the way he did; he had been on the edge really and the only time he felt at peace was when he submerged himself into a deep meditation, when he disconnected himself from the rest of the people and instead connected with the Force, and mostly because the exercise made him remember about Obi-Wan, who used to enjoy meditation much more than he did; in a way, he felt closer to her when he shared the things she used to love.

“My boy…” Palpatine said, his face softer “I´m sorry for what it happened, Master Kenobi was a brave, smart and loyal member of the Republic and a brilliant and kind woman. I had the pleasure to know her when she was still a Padawan, as you remember…” he mentioned while placing a hand over Anakin´s shoulder. “…and I can honestly said she was one of the most extraordinary people I´ve ever met.”

Anakin stares up at him and gives him a small smile. The Chancellor was being respectful and although he still had a hard time accepting people talking about Obi-Wan as if they knew her, he appreciated people who actually did and who express their views and condolences with respect, like Aubrie and Palpatine did.

“Yeah, she was.” He whispered.

“And how are you, my friend?” the Chancellor enquires with a smile and taking back his seat.

“Oh, well. I´m spending some time in the Temple until I get a new assignment.”

Palpatine frowned, almost confused.

“With the war raging in the galaxy, it seems a bit silly to me just to waste your talents and had you stuck in the Temple” he says with concern “with all due respect to the wise Jedi Council, of course.” He adds.

“It´s protocol” Anakin explains, shrugging off the issue “newly Masterless Padawans are expected to grieved first and then move on…”

“Move on?” Palpatine questions, clearly surprised by the careless explanation. “It seems to me, and forgive me for making so many assumptions here, that it´s a little cold to think someone might just move on, but what do I know?” he smiles with easiness “I´m not a Jedi, I certainly do not understand the inner workings and the tenants of the Order to have an opinion…”

“No, I actually do think the same…” Anakin confessed with a bit of shame himself “but I trust the Council and their wisdom” he declared the minute he notes his indiscretion.

“Of course you do, Anakin.” The Chancellor said with a nod.

The room grew silent and Anakin started to feel awkward when suddenly Palpatine started to talk to him again, discussing politics and asking for Anakin´s wellbeing, soon enough, the young Jedi forgot all about the Temple, the Order and his own grief. For the first time since he came back to Coruscant he feels free of the desperation and the pressure that has consumed him since the moment tragedy plagued his way. For a moment, just a tiny one, he could forget that his life wasn´t falling to pieces outside of this room.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Aubrie was standing at the grand entrance of the Temple, staring at the orange sunset that was burning the horizon. She had been there only for a short time but the sight had already turned her into a melancholic ghost; the beautiful view reminded her of the days she spent staring at this same scene beside her Master. She missed him tiredly, and although she gets comfort in the idea that he is finally one with the Force, and that, despite of the circumstances he had perished at, she knew for sure he felt at peace, which in turn brought her joy.

She has been attended by some Mind Healers and with some discussions and intervention of Master Windu, she has got over the terrible death and had continued her apprenticeship as she must. Even when she was feeling remarkably better with the situation and felt ready to soon return to the frontlines with her fellow Jedi brothers and sisters, she still felt the need to fix a certain problem.

As much as she wanted to be of help in the war effort she also felt the duty to help Anakin Skywalker as well. Last time she talked with him, he seemed accepting of what had happened, ready to move on and continue as she did. But that was not the case, every time she got a glimpse of him around the Temple he was pale as a ghost and cruised the halls like a possessed man drained of life and purpose. She has been told by Master Windu in one of their training sessions that he was being looked after by Master Yoda, trying to help him cope with the death of Master Kenobi, but the man she got to see wasn´t getting any better; he was pretending, coiling more and more inside himself, wearing a stony face of false tranquility and keeping his icy stare at front, without fixing his eyes into anything or anyone.

The outburst in the middle of the garden only confirmed her suspicions. There, in such a public place, being watched by so many Jedi that still filled the Temple, shouting loud and angry at Master Vos, who has an almost equally difficult temper for time to time. And it was not only the volatile nature of his personality what worried her: his words, his reasons and the fury behind his actions had slowly started to become something else, something scarier.

“What are you doing out here?”

Aubrie was taken out of her thoughts by a soft masculine voice. The female Jedi stared down the stairs she was standing at to see the confused and curious face of Anakin staring up at her, face illuminating by the orange light of the sun, as she had summoned his presence just by thinking of him.

“Taking some fresh air.”

“You can do that from the Gardens.” Anakin informed her while taking some steps up at her direction.

“Waiting for you, then.” She fixed instead, looking at him with a serious although not severed face.

Anakin frowned and stop on his steps to look at her even more confused than before.

“Why is that?” he asked. “And how did you know I was out?”

“I went to your apartments. You weren´t there.” She let him know before he could conjure some nonsense of her following or spying him like he did to Master Vos when they talked last time.

“Well, what is there to talk about?” he enquired, just a bit annoyed.

“Your behavior, maybe…” She whispered with a passive look, she didn´t want to sound like the Masters and Members of the Council did, she wasn´t reprimanding him but trying to come to him as a friend.

Anakin immediately snorted with disgust.

“I´m not hearing this from you” he decided, almost taking the final steps and pushing her by the shoulder.

“I think we must” she insisted, stopping him with a soft touch in his own shoulder. “I want to talk to you, to listen to you, you are my friend…”

Anakin looked down at her in a more calmed manner but she could still see the denial and the discomfort in his posture.

“I don´t want to” he admitted “I already have sessions with the Masters…”

“It´s not like that. I´m not here to judge you or shame you or tell you what to do…” she said, pulling him to face her completely “I´m here as a fellow Jedi who lost her Master too, as a friend who is worried for a friend…”

“I don´t want you to worry about me…” Anakin declares softly, almost taking her hand in his in a soothing manner, losing all the irritation that he showed at the beginning.

“Well, I do. So, just talk to me…”

“I don´t feel like it.”

“You never do, but that´s exactly the problem. Anakin, we are Jedi but we still human, we still feel things, we still care…”

Anakin buffed as if the mere thought it´s preposterous.

“Yeah, all right. Are you not going to tell me any of that crap of ´letting my emotions go into the Force´, like the Code tells us to?”

“Have you really paid attention to your lessons?” she enquires with surprise. “We are meant to identify those feelings, acknowledge them, absorb and learn from them and then let them go, no one is asking you to be cold or inhuman or immutable… but to act on our feelings, even the most positive ones, without thinking first can put us through much pain and also to hurt others as well…”

Anakin grew stiff by the minute, as if she had slapped him in the face, although Aubrie didn´t feel any real hostility coming from him.

“You think that´s what I do?” he asked, eyes glaring “You think I want to hurt other people?”

“I think you are very good at hurting yourself.” She lets him know with an equal daring pose.

Anakin´s eyes widen at the bold statement, leaning back and deepening his breaths. Aubrie then realizes that maybe he is not used to people telling him things about himself. He is used to criticism, to be scold in a way that he confuses with judgment and censure, but nobody has ever confront him like that: telling him that, not even himself, knew what he wanted or what he felt sometimes, that the first person he damaged with his careless actions was him.

They would probably continue and Aubrie knew she was far for over with the conversation but the sound of a ship interrupted them all of a sudden. They turned to found a small black vessel landing in the ramp of the Temple.

Both Anakin and Aubrie gave each other a disconcerted look of confusion at the sight of it. The ship was indeed strange, and definitely unfamiliar; it was not like the Republic ones or the more common prototype, and if their eyes and experience didn’t fail them, that particular design corresponded at the ones used to carry soldiers, not diplomatic passengers.

“Is that a Separatist logo on it?” Anakin questioned in shock.

Aubrie gave a good look at the side of the ship, where Anakin was busy staring and gaping at, and immediately identified the insignia.

“It is.” She gasped.

Anakin immediately pulled his lightsaber from his belt and ignited it as a precaution manner; Aubrie wasn´t so hasty at acting but she imitated the action just to be safe.

“How bold…” Anakin growled furiously “to come to Coruscant and thinking they can attack the Temple with just one ship.”

“We take them together” Aubrie suggested while Anakin look at her by the corners of his eyes, the two blue lights of their lightsabers illuminating their faces. “You go left, I take the ones in the right.”

Anakin nodded.

In a swift motion the ship´s ramp opened, allowing some white smoke to escape at the operation. Both Jedi failed at detecting any movement coming from inside, but that was to be expected, the enemy wouldn´t be more foolish than they already were, coming here and expecting to invade the Temple with just one small shuttle of droids.

What it would end up surprising both in turn was not the silly strategy but it did came out of the ship. Slowly a slim figured appeared from the shadows and smoke and into the dying sun. With a gasp, Aubrie almost lost her lightsaber to the floor when she finally caught sight of the ´enemy´s´ form.

There, in all its messy glory was Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Aubrie turned to stare at an equal surprised Anakin, the man almost trembling.

“Obi-Wan…?” Anakin mumbled with a shaky low voice, lightsaber forgotten and almost slack in the weak grip of his hand.

Master Kenobi raised her tired eyes to look at the Jedi couple standing at the top of the main stairs. Her usually smart grey eyes were almost lifeless, sedated.

“Anakin…” she rasped almost without emotion but a small smile betrayed her features “…It has been so long.”

Anakin suddenly sprang from his position and rushed down the stairs like a demon. His dark brown robe flew at his feet moved in the fastest speed possible and Aubrie felt compelled to imitate the action and followed him swiftly.

Obi-Wan walked just a few meters away from the landing pad and stop to wince as if in terrible discomfort, grabbing her side tightly and a bulky tall man walking to her with concern in his face.

Once they reached her, Anakin stop his fast feet in an uncharacteristic way, as if he had changed his mind all of a sudden and had second thoughts about who was standing in front of him. Aubrie couldn´t really blame him, she felt the same. Seeing Master Obi-Wan there, alive and standing, was like seeing a ghost. It was impossible yet real.

“Master…” Anakin whisper, there were tears in his eyes that not even him had noticed.

“Apologies. It took me long enough…” she said in her dry voice.

“General…” the man beside her whispered as a warning, his hands hovering around her arms as if ready to grab her shall she fall. It´s in that moment when Aubrie noticed why.

Master Kenobi was a mess from head to toe. Her clothes were ragged and dirty, not amount of time of mending would make the fabric wearable ever again. Her exposed skin wasn´t any better, she was way too pale and bruised, there were small cuts on her face, and some dried blood close to her mouth and nose. Her hair, which was usually known to be incredibly beautiful and recognizable by its shiny auburn flair, was now drained of all color, instead seemed mistreated.

Aubrie was about to say something when she gasped at noticing the reason behind the pained expression on the Jedi´s face and the concern in the man behind her. There was an extensive spot of blood on her tunics, the bright red had faded, probably by time, into the color of the famous wines of Aldeeran, the brownish red covered the entire side of her inner tunic and part of her pants.

Anakin seemed to come to life and approached her like one would approached a wounded animal: hands extended and tentative, eyes wide and unsure, once he had rounded her with his limbs, without actually gripping her and incasing her inside a rough embrace, Obi-Wan imitated the action with raising her own hands to place them on the firm Padawan´s shoulders.

“Anakin…” she said with a strange laugh “I am not dreaming, am I?”

It took Anakin a couple of minutes to actually answer.

“I should be asking that question…”

Obi-Wan smiled and fell forward softly and leaned her forehead into the young man´s broad chest.

“You were dead…” Anakin whimpered, actually whimpered. Tears falling from his eyes even when he wasn´t actually crying, too shocked to even do that.

“Not just yet…” She whispered.

“No jokes.” Anakin growled. “No jokes ever again.” 

The man stared down at the woman on his chest, his arms almost caressing his hair. Aubrie just stared nervously at the couple and felt suddenly out of place and confused, as if she was seeing something she shouldn´t.

“You left me… I came back, you were not here. I thought you were dead!” he exploded, voice going from a low rumbled to almost a shout. Anger, surprise, confusion and fear mixing all at once.

“Come on, now…” she mumbled on his dark leather tunic just to raise her head and look directly at Anakin´s blue eyes, the sedated grey eyes of the female Master finally focusing alongside a smile. “…When have I ever broken a promise to you…?”

Anakin made a noise that clearly got caught up in his throat for he couldn´t really scream it. His eyes trembling on her frame. But before he could do more, the Jedi quickly lost focus and sense and his weak feet fell forward and his body decompensated and was ready to fall to the floor if it wasn´t for the strong arms of Anakin.

“Obi-Wan!” he shouted.

Aubrie responded in action at the sight, after all she was a healer herself.

“Anakin! Don´t grip her like that, she is wounded, place her on the floor!” She indicated.

The man was too out of his senses to hear her, he just kept shouting his Master´s name over and over again. The female Padawan sent a look to the man standing with them, and he quickly understood wordlessly. He swiftly crouched and grabbed Obi-Wan´s body from Anakin´s hands and cradled her against his uncovered chest.

Aubrie noticed that the man didn´t look much better than Obi-Wan did, he wore dirty pants with heavy white boots, the exact same as the ones that the clones wore and that´s what basically it.

“Where is the healing ward of the Temple?” The tall man asked.

“I can direct you to it. Follow me.” Aubrie nodded and stood up, pulling Anakin with her. “You too, Anakin.”

The Padawan wasn´t cohesive enough to respond and his eyes were glued to the body of his Master.

“Now, Anakin!” she shouted.

That seemed to wake him up and he nodded eagerly. With one last look at Obi-Wan´s pale form the three of them quickly ran back to the Temple

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Anakin was seated outside of the healer´s ward with his head between his hands. Staring at the white clean floor with a muted expression, completely lost and unmoving, as he had been for a couple of hours now.

Aubrie came out of the rooms and look at the pathetic Padawan, who was just sitting there. The Council had been already told of what had transpired outside the Temple, and practically the gossip had reached almost every Jedi still stationed in planet.

“Anakin…” Aubrie called in a whisper of a voice.

The young man raised his head to look at her, his eyes were red, probably for crying and the lack of sleep.

“How is she?” he asked.

“Fine. Or will be.”

“Was it bad?”

Aubrie gulped a bit before seating beside the tortured man, rubbing her hands against her leggings in an attempt to hide her discomfort.

“It was…bad, but it could have been worse” She tried to appease him “The problem was the bleeding, there were signs she tried to heal the wound with the Force. For some reason she couldn´t, but that at least stopped the wound for killing her.”

Anakin winced at the mention of death. Obi-Wan was not going to die. Never. Not again, he won´t allowed it.

Before he could linger inner promises of how he would keep her alive, he noticed something off in Aubrie´s phrasing.

“Couldn´t?” he asked.

“We did an evaluation. Master Che thinks she was cut from the Force for a considerable length of time, which probably hurt her ability to reach it.”

Anakin stared down at the floor before him, as if thinking.

“That would explain why I didn´t feel her presence through the Force. Or why she didn´t use it to call me…”

Aubrie nodded, almost convinced by the story.

“It fits.”

Anakin was having a very difficult time trying to pretend he was only a dutiful Padawan. His wife was alive, and not only that, she was hurting. He felt his hands trembling, he couldn´t even grab a glass of water or something like that, it would probably spill over.

His heart was beating at a speed that he knew it was not humanly possible, and the intense need to just run and enter the room where his angel was resting was overwhelming. The only thing restraining him for doing so was the constant presence of other Jedi around, he wouldn´t care either way, but he had causing so much havoc this recent days that one more transgression and he was sure he was going to be punished. He is not going to allow to be pushed away from Obi-Wan in any way, and if he had to control himself and wait in order to see her, then so be it.

“You need to sleep” Aubrie suggests.

Anakin snorts at the mention of such ridiculous notion.

“I´m not leaving my Master.”

“She is sleeping. We already did what we could. She is now in a bacta tank.”

Anakin frowns at that.

“She hates that.” He says with equal amusement and discomfort “But then again, she has always hated medical treatment.”

Aubrie lifts her eyebrow “Master Kenobi?”

“Oh, yeah. She has never been too fond of healers. She is even worse than I am, and that´s saying something…” he smiles without any real humor.

They grow quiet and stare at the white wall. Aubrie is way too used to this halls, since it´s her home. She works and learns here and finds the sight a constant sign of comfort, but staring at Anakin, she can easily see the way he doesn´t know what to do with himself. How out of his element he finds himself in.

“Do you wish to see her?”

Anakin turns to look at Aubrie with trepidation. For a moment, he thinks he must have misheard her.

“You can, if you want.”

The Padawan didn´t need to be told twice, he was quickly on his feet.

“Show the way.”

Aubrie smiled and stood up as well, pointing the right direction to follow with a movement of the head. They both walk with measured steps, passing through the different rooms assigned to tend sick and wounded Jedi when they finally reached one of the rooms that contain the bacta tanks, these places were separated from the other rooms which were simpler and designed for patients in recovery not intense care like Obi-Wan.

When they made it in, Anakin came to face with a single tank that held the unconscious form of his wife.

The room was full of machines and apparatus that were connected to the tank currently full and functional, the place was dark, solely illuminated by the ever blue flow of the transparent cistern. Obi-Wan was floating inside with a breathing mask and small clothing: a breast band and small pants.

Here, Anakin could fully see the damaged done to his love; she was bruised all over, something he must have noticed since her arrival but that he failed to see as he was immersed by the sight of her. The tiniest scraps were already healed and erased from her silky skin but some nasty others remained still on her body. The ugliest one, and the cause of all this, was on her side: a foul slice just below the ribs, Anakin winced at the view.

“That was the almost fatal injury” Aubrie said, almost reading Anakin´s mind. “It wasn´t so deep as to damage too many organs but the bleeding was substantial.”

“How…?” Anakin muttered between teeth, cursing the bastard that had done this. Whoever that miserable creature was.

“A blaster shot, more likely, going by the shape of the wound and the burned skin around it.”

Anakin didn´t say anything else, he only approached the tank until he reach the glass, until his hand touched the cold material. He thought her lost. Lost and gone forever. He had suffered in silence, punished himself and gone through hell, but at the end of the day, Obi-Wan was alive. He was happy, deliriously so, but he couldn´t allow to feel that way until she was safe and healed. Until she manages to stand on her two feet, wearing her robes and giving her one of her smirks. Until he could hold her in his arms and kiss her lips and taste her skin. Until he heard her voice saying ´I love you´.

“Come back to me…” Anakin begged. “Just come back to me…”

Until she came back to his arms, to his life, to their bed. All that Anakin wanted was to have her by his side and never let her go. He leaned his forehead to the glass, eyes shiny and impatient.

“Please, just come back to me…”

Aubrie, who had been standing closer to the door, stared at the man by the crystal. At this moment, she didn´t know what to do. She had seen closer relationships before, even concerning Jedi. She had seen Padawan crying for their Masters, children weeping and grown Knights pulling long visiting hours through the halls, but she is sure she has never seen something like this. The relationship that Anakin and Master Kenobi had was something outside of her depth. It seemed to her that the attachment between them was too strong and intense, at least from Anakin´s side. He was not functional without her by his side, he couldn´t think clearly or speak or relate or even feel… it was like his whole existence was shaped and connected by the existence of this woman.

Looking at him, in this very moment, begging like a broken man, not even capable of feeling relief for the miraculously fact that his Master had survived after all, as he thought she did, he wouldn´t allowed himself to lift his spirits until she was well.

At the sight of this man, who apparently only breathe for the sake of this woman, is when it hit her.

“Oh…” Aubrie gasped out loud.

Anakin doesn´t move and seemly didn´t even hear her, his eyes and attention only belonged to Obi-Wan, his Master.

At that moment, Aubrie decides to leave, leave before she gets to awknoladge more than she already did in that moment, before she hears something she cannot longer deny.

“Get the Padawan a chair to seat. I´ve got the feeling he will stay all night here.” Aubrie says to a medical droid that was checking Obi-Wan´s vitals over a monitor.

She walks away until she opens the door of the room, only pausing to look at the boy stuck to the glass, his human hand splayed over the crystal, eyes worshiping the woman inside the tube like a priest to a goddess.

Aubrie´s stomach turned at the sight and rushed out of the room almost running. Running scared of what she discovered, because finally she has understood the reason behind so many emotions, and reasons and tragedy.

She finally realized why she would never be able to help Anakin Skywalker like she intended to do when she stood at the top of the stairs of the Temple and waited for him to arrive, why Anakin would never move on from the grief that consumed him when he had lost her.

“He is in love with her…” She whispers.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the first arc finishes with a realization. Next week I will be posting the next arc of the story which is called Devotion. There, we will have our real Obi-Wan/Anakin reunion, do not fret :)
> 
> Also, Happy Christmas and Happy New Year as well! :D
> 
> P.S. You don´t know how difficult is to write Palpatine, that man is so weird.


	7. Clone Wars: Devotion (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Devotion: "[dih-voh-shuh n]   
> noun  
> 1\. profound dedication; consecration.  
> 2\. earnest attachment to a cause, person, etc.  
> 3\. an assignment or appropriation to any purpose, cause, etc.: the devotion of one's wealth and time to scientific advancement.  
> 4\. Often, devotions. Ecclesiastical. religious observance or worship; a form of prayer or worship for special use.

Obi-Wan woke up in a white, very white room. She knew this room. She recognized the uncanny smell of cleanliness and the reason behind the bright lights and the lack of other colors that weren´t white. The healings ward.

How much she hated this place. Since she was a youngling, she had despised these rooms; when she was a girl she used to get sick and hurt all the time, countless Masters would carry or drag her to the halls of the healing to have some medical members check her up. Now that she had grown and turned into a Jedi Knight on her own right, she still couldn´t stand it.

“So you have finally wake up, Kenobi” a familiar voice exclaimed “Good. It was about time.”

Obi-Wan turned her head to find herself staring at Vokara Che, the Chief Healer of the ward, the Twi´lek stared down at her from a distance, looking unimpressed with the presence of Obi-Wan in her domains. The human almost smirked at the disappointed look on the Master´s eyes, after all, they had something of a history.

“Good to see you again, Master Che.”

“I wish I could say the same” the blue woman scoffed while putting some medicines on a shiny silver tray beside her bed.

“That´s no way to treat a patient” Obi-Wan said, standing up and looking down at the white robes she was wearing that marked her as such.

“I would be kinder if you were actually a patient” Vokara told her without remorse “you have been discharged, there is no reason for you to remain here.”

Obi-Wan lifted an eyebrow at the declaration.

“Still, no need to be so cold.”

Vokara only scoffed again “I need these beds for actual wounded Jedi, you know. People who need them. So, move along.”

Obi-Wan smiled and got off her way, she moved a little first, trying to sense if there was some remaining discomfort from her wounds but she couldn´t feel the familiar pang of pain or the uncomfortable ache on her body; apparently, Master Che was right, she was completely healed.

“I´ll be on my way then.”

Vokara gave her a sign with her eyes and pointed at the exit, the Jedi Knight took the offer without question. Master Che hated to have her as a patient, Obi-Wan unwillingness to be treated through the years was famous and she has gotten a couple of earfuls from the Twi´lek a couple of times before, so she wasn´t surprised by her cold words and her distaste as having her back as one of her responsibilities. She also knew that the Jedi Master meant nothing by it, Vokara didn´t actually hate her, after all, Jedi do not hate; they simply had a relationship in which they allowed such treatment.

Obi-Wan got out of the halls only after making sure that Alpha, her loyal Clone Commander, was being taken care of as well. The healers had informed her then that he had been released a couple of days before and actually came to visit her when she was in the bacta tank.

The Jedi Knight went her merry way through the almost abandoned halls of the Temple, sadden at the sight of the usually crowded corridors now being emptied by the struggle of war. She walked through the gardens, although the stroll was completely unnecessary to make her way to her objective: the Council Chambers. But she wanted to breathe the open and fresh air of the place, to feel the Living Force vibrate through her body, which finally could fully reconnect with the Force without the tedious interference of the Sith Mask or it´s temporary consequences.

“So, it´s true…”

Obi-Wan turned to see Quinlan Vos standing beside a tall tree, eyes sparkling and wide smile on his face. The female Jedi almost imitated the gesture but only nodded in response and smiled kindly back at him.

The Kiffar walked closer to her until they were face to face, illuminated by the bright rays of the golden sun.

“I heard that you made a dramatic entrance some days ago, but I wasn´t able to actually see it with my own two eyes…”

“Well, what can I say?” Obi-Wan joked “I have always liked a good show.”

“A little bit over the top, this one” Quinlan warned with a pointed look but a clear smile on his face “don’t overdo it next time.” He finished with a friendly slap on the arm.

Obi-Wan shrugged the gesture with her hand, as if dusting her arm. The man laughed at the action.

“I see the Separatist couldn´t torture the humor out of you, then.”

“They certainly tried…” She said while rolling her eyes. Someone more sensitive would probably thought of that comment as a very bad tasted joke, but not Obi-Wan, she knew exactly which kind of humor her friend possessed and which one she had in kind.

“Walk with me.” She invited, sensing the man wanted to converse with her more.

The dark haired Jedi followed her and they found themselves walking side by side, making their way to the Council Chambers. All that Obi-Wan wanted to do was to find certain person, to embrace certain back, to get herself lost in the scent of a certain man, but she couldn´t do that, not until her duty was done, not until she removed every possible interruption away from the table.

“So you escaped…” Quinlan breathed out, trying to re-connect the conversation.

“Yes.”

“You had us thinking you were dead.”

“It wasn´t intentional, I assure you. There were certain times I thought I was dead too…”

Vos gave her a careful side-eye, trying to sense any sadness or discomfort on her posture or her mental shields. After all, she had been tortured, medicine and bacta can only do so much as to heal the body, but not the mind.

“You know you can tell me” Quinlan told her, inclining his head at her direction “I´m a big boy, I can take it.”

Obi-Wan smiled and keep her eyes up front.

“I can deal with it.” Obi-Wan told her “I lost my Master to the blade of a Sith. There is no more horror than that, and if I could saw that and came out mentally unscathed, I can deal with this.”

“I wouldn´t say unscathed…”

Obi-Wan turned at him with a questioning look.

“What´s that supposed to mean?”

Quinlan shrugged. “Hey, you obviously have your reasons and you don´t need to talk about them with me, but even a fool could see that you didn´t ´deal with it´ at all.”

“That being only you…”

Quinlan scoffed “Garen, Bant, Siri, Luminara, I think that even Mace and Yoda know…”

“This is you, Quinlan. Making assumptions…” Obi-Wan told him with half lidded eyes.

“This is me, Kenobi. Blowing your bubble…” Vos corrected her with a teasing smile.

“Whatever you say, old friend.”

After some silence and some more walking, they both reached the doors of the Council Chambers, Obi-Wan´s destination.

“Well, this is it, I guess. Thank you for the company.”

“Have seen Anakin yet?”

Obi-Wan frowned at the immediate and unexpected mention of her apprentice´s name. Quinlan rarely talked about Anakin, and when he did, it was always as ´that Padawan of yours´ and at its best ´Skywalker´, never his first name.

“Sort of. When I arrived. But I passed out short after.”

“Well, after your visit to the Council, I think you should talk with him.”

Obi-Wan´s frown deepened.

“Any particular reason why you are mentioning this?”

Quinlan look at the windows that showed the tall buildings of Coruscant for a moment and then turned back to her with a serious glare.

“Let´s just say he hasn´t been very well since your disappearance.”

Obi-Wan allowed one deep long breath to come out. She had expected something like this, she only secretly prayed it wasn´t the case.

“I will.” She promised.

“Then I leave you.” He smiled and nodded before turning on his feet and started to walk away.

Obi-Wan turn her head and eyes to the windows, sighing with apprehension.

_“I´ve got a bad feeling about this…”_

 

 

* * *

 

 

Padmé had been seating examining some papers since the morning started, she hadn´t taken any rests and have been busy absorbing all kinds of information through many sources. The war was unforgiving, and as being one of the Senators who had openly opposed the conflict in the first place, she now finds herself with the task to try to end it as soon and as swiftly as possible.

“Working hard as usual, I see.”

Padmé raised her head to see the tall figure of Senator Bail Organa standing at the entrance of her office. He was smiling and he seemed to carry a bag.

“Bail?” she called surprised by his presence “What are you doing here?”

“Well… I thought about giving you a break.” He said sheepishly “And I´m sorry for inviting my way in, but I knock a couple of times and you didn´t answer.”

Padmé flushed by the words.

“Oh, I´m sorry! I was too invested in these things.”

“Yeah. I noticed.” He laughed while coming closer and clearing her desk of some papers to put the transparent bag on it.

“What´s that?” The female Senator enquired, looking at it with an eyebrow raised.

“You haven´t taken a break in a while. So, I wanted to make sure you weren´t overtaxing yourself.” He smiled.

“Oh.”

Padmé observed as Bail took two white boxes from the bag, placing one closer to her and giving her a cup as well.

“This is food…” She realized, taking back her seat and examining the food she was given.

“Indeed.” He confirmed, taking a seat in front of her “It´s a traditional Corellian dish from some restaurant, nothing fancy but the food there it´s really good.”

Padmé laughed and piled the papers she was reading and pushed them aside, taking in the kind effort made by her friend. Bail was one of her greatest supporters, and even when at first he wasn´t convinced into using solely diplomacy to win the war, he now was almost fully committed to find a not violent way to end it.

“I never thought you were the kind to know about regular restaurants in Coruscant.” Padmé said taking a bite of her food and almost dropped a squeak of happiness at the taste.

Bail laughed between his teeth.

“You should have seen the people´s faces when I walked in here with cheap food compartments and bags through the Senate.” He giggled at the memory and Padmé felt herself imitate him with eager. “I´m sure there will be talking.”

“People do little else.” She answered and look into the dark eyes of the male Senator. She could almost see herself perfectly reflected on them and that thought made her blush.

“Anyway, what were you doing?” Bail asked taking a forkful of his own meat.

Padmé´s eyes went back to her papers. She picked some of them and handed it to Bail. The Prince sent her a look, requesting permission to read them and the ex-monarch nodded. The man read quickly through the handwritten pages, making small expressions here and there as he went.

“Did you write this?” he asked.

“Yeah. Been working on it since morning, but I actually had the idea a couple of days ago. Couldn´t get the idea out of my head.” She explained, taking some shy bites of her food.

“This is good. Really good.” He told her, making her eyes raised to meet his.

“Do you think so?”

“It´s certainly brave.” Bail told her, smiling sincerely.

“I know it´s ridiculous.” She said with a shrug. Taking no importance on his praise. “It´s just me and this war that I can´t stand.”

“It´s a reasonable thought.” Bail told her, placing the papers back on her desk. “You have always been against it.”

“For a moment, I understood that maybe war is somewhat necessary. I lived the birth of the conflict myself on Geonosis. I thought that maybe I could get over the idea of it, but I couldn´t. This war is getting worse and worse as it goes.”

Bail looked at her and seemed to asses her position, Padmé knew the man before her understood her, he was, after all, a good friend. With this war, the female servant had seen things she never thought she would: people dying everywhere, children hungry and homes destroyed without recognition. The people was scared and hopeless. Padmé didn´t know if she could continue just sitting still and not saying anything about it.

“You are right.” Bail told her, taking her out of her thoughts “These ideas you wrote: about the importance of diplomacy, of negotiation are necessary. I think most of all are so focused on winning this war that we forget what comes after that. How we pick ourselves together again.”

Padmé smiled. She thought the man would called her naïve, even being a good friend of hers. But she founded herself hearing only support.

“You think so?” she asked, nervously.

“Of course.” He said, smiling “Maybe this can be a start of something good.”

Padmé smiled back “Of what, exactly?”

Bail stared at her with a rare gleam on his eyes.

“Hope.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Anakin had been meditating since the morning and his body felt equally relaxed as tensed. Master Yoda had talked with him before starting, almost scolding for perturbing the medical staff at his stubbornness in staying next to Obi-Wan´s tank day and night. Master Che had already reported him a couple of times, the Twi’lek always hated for her patients to be disrupted in any way and in her eyes he was doing just that. He hadn´t moved much, of course. He only accepted to go back to his rooms to take a quick shower, eat something and maybe sleep a couple of hours, then he was back at his Master´s side.

Apparently, this was a problem.

As Anakin had skipped a couple of meditation lessons with Master Yoda, the green Master saw fit to punish him with extra hours of meditation. It had left his body sore and, funny enough, his clothes soaked with sweat. He hadn´t moved not even a bit, but the effort of maintaining the same position for hours under the strong sun had left him drenched.

He was going back to his Master of course, he just needed to take a quick shower and maybe some rations. He had left her on her own for a long time now.

He found himself in front of their chamber´s doors, he had finally come back to his rooms, now that Obi-Wan was not a ghost that haunted him day and night, he could set foot inside the place they both called their home. The first night he had spent back in this place he had almost cried his eyes out. He had refused to sleep on their bed, though. He went to rest on his old one, inside his own room, their bed was something that belong to them both, to Obi-Wan and Anakin. Not just him. He would rest and lay there beside her body. Never without her.

With that reassurance, he palmed the entrance and the door hissed opened.

The first thing he realized was that the lights were on, which was completely strange. When he left in the morning, there was no need to have them on, the natural light was enough to illuminate the place nicely and, either way, he always made sure of not leaving any light on every time he got out of their apartment.

The next thing he noted was that Obi-Wan Kenobi was seated on the chair next to the window with a cup of coffee on her hands.

Her eyes were staring at him, impossibly beautiful and breathtaking.

“Welcome home.” She said.

It took Anakin exactly five seconds to run and threw himself at her.

His long feet crossed the distance between them in a second and his strong arms entangled themselves around the nice curved figure of his wife, pulling her frame against his, making her stand awkwardly to receive his embrace.

Anakin burrowed his nose in the perfect and soft auburn hair of her Master, smelling the sweet pleasing scent that distinguished her even through the clinical impersonal smell of the shampoo used by the healers to wash her hair.

She smelt like antiseptic, bacta, sunlight and home. And it was beyond perfection.

“Anakin, Anakin…” the woman pleaded with half a voice, patting his arms and asking for release. It wasn´t until she groaned painfully that he let her go.

“Oh!” Anakin noticed. He unclasped his arms from her and took a step back, trying to figure out what was wrong.

“It´s just…” she said a little breathless “… my ribs.” She explained.

Of course. She had just healed, even with the bacta she might still be sore.

“I´m sorry! I´m sorry! I didn´t realize…!”

“It´s okay. I´m healed. It just took me by surprise.” She calmed him off.

Anakin still looked down on her unsurely.

“Why don´t you just take a seat?” he offered, motioning back at the chair she was seated before he had arrived and pounced at her.

Obi-Wan looked at the place and shrugged carelessly, taking the offering and seating back, seizing the opportunity to also go back to her drink.

Anakin was busy examining her with too much care, and Obi-Wan found herself been scrutinized. She took a sip from her caf but kept her eyes looking at the blue ones of her husband, they were serious and assessing, as if scared to do anything else than that for fear of hurting her.

“You can talk, you know.” She said.

“Are you sure you are all right?” he asked again, taking a seat next to her and framing her face with his hands.

“Never better” she joked while smiling at him, caressing his hands with her fingers.

Anakin pursed his lips still unsure and Obi-Wan had to roll her eyes at the expression.

“Really. I´m fine.” She reassured. “I´m not going to break. The bacta heal most of it, I promise. I guess I´m just a bit sore.”

“How long have you been awake?” Anakin questioned, suddenly apprehensive.

“Since the morning.”

Anakin paled all of a sudden. And Obi-Wan frowned.

“Is there something wrong?”

“That long?” He asked, almost furious at the thought “And you have been on your own, all that time?”

Obi-Wan took another sip from her caf and raised an eyebrow at the attitude.

“I have seen and talked with a couple of people. I´ve been with the Council, I made a report. It hasn´t been that long.”

“I should have been there with you.”

Oh, and there is the source of the annoyance. The reason behind Anakin´s obvious discomfort with the notion of Obi-Wan roaming around on her own. At first, she almost had the terrible thought of Anakin being upset with the fact she was awake at all, but thankfully that was not the case. The boy was only angry he didn´t get to be there in the moment she was pulled from the tank and into conscience.

“I was still asleep. You didn´t miss anything.” Obi-Wan explained gracefully “And I didn´t wake up alone, Master Che was there.”

“Vokara Che?” Anakin practically squalled.

“ _Master_ Vokara Che, Anakin. Do have some respect.” Obi-Wan said while standing from her chair to leave the now empty cup in the sink of the kitchen.

“But you two hate each other.” He continued instead, ignoring her correction.

“Jedi don´t hate.”

Anakin snorted as if the thought was ridiculous. “You two do. Bickering like little children at the smallest opportunity.”

“Didn´t you do the same thing with Ferus Olin back in the day?” Obi-Wan reminded him with a skeptical look on her face.

The Padawan suddenly felt uncomfortable and his cheeks turned red at the reminder of his past years and his petty rivalry with Master Siri Tachi´s Padawan. Ferus Olin was also a sore spot for him, remember him brought memories he preferred the keep buried in the deepest corners of his mind. Anakin was partially to blame for his departure of the Order, Obi-Wan would never mention it, of course, but he knew it to be true, either way.

“Let´s not fight.” Anakin decided.

He stood up from his chair and walk until he reached his wife to snake his arms back over her waist, this time, being careful not to press to hard. Obi-Wan looked up at him with a confused gleam on her beautiful grey eyes.

“We are not fighting.” Obi-Wan told him, strange by Anakin´s words.

“I just want to stay with you for the rest of my life” he confessed, bringing her closer still, kissing her breathless.

Obi-Wan might have attempted to respond but Anakin´s lips captured her and silenced any try for her to enquire about the rare behavior that the Padawan was expressing. Soon enough, she gave up even trying. Her arms flew to round  Anakin´s neck and surrender herself to his soft lips.

They continue the romantic action with soft caresses and touches, the only sound in the room was the continue smack and movements of their lips against each other and the soft ruffling of robes by their embrace. Obi-Wan suddenly realized how much he had missed him. Being here, held by his strong arms, staring at his blue eyes, tasting his soft lips, it´s where she wanted to be. She hadn´t feel so touch-starved and she had never craved love this bad before, not with Quinlan, not with Qui-Gon and certainly not, although closely enough, with Satine. She had deemed so much control in her life, being a Jedi and all, censuring her words and her affections to not fall out of what the Code permitted that to just give herself to her passions, for once, was all she could possibly ask for.

Anakin roamed his hands over the soft texture of the white robes that Obi-Wan was wearing, trying to reach her hair, which was tided in a simple ponytail, trying to untangled it and get lost in her red strands.

Obi-Wan gasped between the man´s kisses when he pushed her against the counter, pressing her softly and putting his leg between hers, pushing pressure on a sensible area. Anakin unmade her ponytail with a fast move of his fingers, red hair falling and cascading down her back and strong hands grabbing to make fists of it, pulling until she almost moaned with pleasure. 

The young man before her grabbed one of her legs and pulled it upwards, forcing the Jedi Knight to tangle it around his waist. Obi-Wan even through the trots of passion knew she must stop Anakin for going further, but there was this part of her that didn´t want it to end. She wanted more of his lustful touches, wanted to feel anchored in the moment of perfection, away from the war that raged on in the galaxy. Anakin´s firm chest pressed against her breasts, reminding her that she wasn´t immune to the pleasure of the flesh, that she craved the love of this man, not only his presence or his company, but his body too.

Anakin for his part was equally lost but much more decisive and focused on what he wanted. It´s what he dreamed of every time he woke up in the mornings and had to sneak into the fresher to take care of, the painful erection he got just by thinking of his Master in a compromising position, the shiver under his skin every time he imagined how she might sound like, how she might look like while making love. When he had gotten married with her, he thought that those days of abstinence and only wishful thinking were over, no more unfulfilled fantasies, no more dreams that only got to be dreams. He could have her the way he had always wanted to. But then, she said no. Refused him even when they were meant to share each other in every way possible.

And now, like this, holding her against the kitchen counter, roaming her body like a possessed man, it felt like he was finally breathing.

He held Obi-Wan´s right leg high on his waist, and his groin was pushing against hers, in a bold declaration of her intentions. With a pull from his mechanical hand that was busy tangled in her hair, he forced her head to almost snap back, giving him access to her white neck, kissing it slowly.

“Ah…” she moaned.

At the sound of it, Anakin almost roared inside his chest, reaping himself away from her body and dragging her by the hand. Obi-Wan was dizzy, her eyes were fogged with passion and desire, and the sight was enough to make Anakin hard.

Once he reached one of the couches of the living room, he drop himself over it, pulling the female Knight with him as well.

Obi-Wan panted at the fast movement, falling over Anakin´s chest and feeling the man´s hands starting to roam her figure once again.

“Anakin…” she called.

The Padawan could sense Obi-Wan regaining her usual persona, stiffing instead of relaxing.

“No, no, no… don´t ´Anakin´ me, not now, Obi-Wan…” The apprentice requested, while kissing her neck and pulling at her clothes.

“Anakin…” she called again “…there is something…I need to tell you…”

“Later” he proposed, freeing her right shoulder from the confines of the white robe.

“Can´t wait, I´m afraid…” She warned him but Anakin didn´t stop his ministrations.

“Anakin…” she called again, pushing away from him.

Anakin had every intention of following her lips and keep kissing and touching, but the man could sense Obi-Wan´s seriousness through their connection in the Force, which, really, it was fantastic to be able to feel it again. The emptiness that was present in his chest since she had disappeared on Jabiim had constantly accompanied him, feeling as if he had lost a limb, again.

Now, there was only a bright light that warmed him and that felt only like Obi-Wan. That connection now was currently calling for attention. Requesting him to stop.

Anakin sighed. Well, it was good while it last.

“Please tell me you are not going to talk about the war or something like that…”

Obi-Wan lifted an eyebrow.

“There is nothing else to talk about these days” she told him.

“I can think about a couple of things we can do instead.” He told her.

Obi-Wan looked down at him, staring at the obvious bulge inside his trousers.

“I can see that.”

Anakin feel himself blushing. It was easier to not be shy when he was concentrated in making her gasp with pleasure.

“But alas…” she said.

“What?” He barked, throwing his head to the back, allowing his petulance to show on his face.

“You are hurting me…” she whined, looking at her waist.

Anakin removed his hands as if he had touched fire, annoyed eyes quickly turning worried at the possibility of hurting her like that.

“I´m sorry, I didn´t realize…”

“Now, you didn´t…” she said without any real anger. “It´s fine, I didn´t think it was going to hurt either.”

“So, I guess that means no sex, then?” He boldly asked, for once, getting past his own shyness on the unspeakable subject to just getting over with it.

Obi-Wan snorted comically. “You think we were going to have sex? Which, really, in the couch, Anakin?” She asked with a frown.

“You were enjoying it!”

“I was…” She admitted it, moving and wincing at the sudden pang of pain on her side. “Doesn´t mean I was going to let you go all the way…”

Obi-Wan´s head has cleared the minute Anakin had pulled her by the arm and onto the couch. Not that the pleasure she felt in the kitchen had lessened, or that her desired had calmed down, but the reminder of what had transpired at the Council doors still lingered inside her head: Quinlan´s advice, the Masters words and instructions once she was inside the chambers, alongside with the fact that she was not going to have their first time on the furniture of the living room.

Couldn´t be less romantic if she tried.

“You are hurt…” he said, calming his anger and trying to examine Obi-Wan´s wound.

“Apparently, I´m still healing…”

Anakin chugged, almost offended.

“I get it, I get it. No sex.” He muttered.

Obi-Wan closed her eyes with feign annoyance and kissed his brow.

“I´m sorry.” She said.

“It´s all right. All I care about is you being here and safe.” He shrugged, pulling her against his chest, caressing her hair with his hands.

An intimate and comfortable silence stretched between them. Anakin was being honest, he was disappointed by the fact that he has been denied once again, but he remembered his promised made during their wedding night, he would not push the issue, and Obi-Wan was also hurt, even if he got his way, she wouldn´t enjoyed the experience all that much and he wasn´t having that. He wanted her to be there with him all the way.

Obi-Wan positioned herself comfortably over Anakin´s chest and snuggled in the warmth and presence of the body beneath her. She wanted to kiss him again, she wanted the embrace him and if things were differently, she wanted to lay with him too, naked, tangled and sated. But things were not like that, and she felt she needed to tell him so before he found out himself.

“Anakin…”

“Hm?”

“The Council gave me another Padawan…”

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cha cha cha chan!  
> Sooooo, this chapter was most like a filler. Sorry for no sex, but we will earn the rating and an explicit one eventually, so don´t fear. 
> 
> What do you think it will happen?


	8. Clone Wars: Devotion (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is not love, she realized.

Aubrie has been called in front of the Council that very morning. She spent the rest of the night meditating deeply, as it is the custom when one is required to make a solemn vow to a Master or to take an important step to Knighthood. When the sun had rose onto the Coruscanti sky, the Masters had summoned her to the chambers.

She was nervous but she was also focused. She was barely seventeen, too young to become a Knight and she knew it, more training and apprenticeship was highly needed for her to achieve the next rank, to be instructed by a Knight or Master would be a high honor. With that thought, she opened the doors before her.

Inside the room laid the Masters of the Council, all of them seated and staring back at her. In the center of them, facing her, was Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin´s Master.

She bowed respectfully to her superiors.

“Masters…”

“Padawan Wyn” Yoda called her “Summoned here today, to take the vows of apprenticeship, you are. Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, supervise your training, will.”

Aubrie was highly surprised and wanted to immediately voice her concerns, after all, Master Kenobi already had a Padawan herself. She almost did exactly that, before one of the Masters interrupted her.

“We know that having two apprentices is hardly the tradition” Master Windu intercepted from his seat “and in usual circumstances we wouldn´t permit this at all. But we are afraid that the war has decimated our Order and force our hands in matters such as this. There is no other Master in the Order right now that can oversee your training or that suits you better than Master Kenobi does.”

“Knight Kenobi is highly prepared to take on the task of mentoring a Padawan, and she has gracefully accepted to take you in” Master Tiin told her with a gentle smile “…that, only if you accept her mentorship, of course.”

Aubrie turned to look at Master Kenobi then; she wore a serious yet kind expression on her face, the one she was famous for since Aubrie was a youngling and heard about the legendary warrior.

When she was young, she had grown with the tales of the Sith Killer, the only Jedi in a millennia to battle a Sith and actually defeated it. She was a character of wonders and she had heard her other friends and clan members sneaking around talking gossip about her. Talking about the good and unbelievable deeds of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

She should be proud of being offered the amazing opportunity to be taken in as the Sith Killer´s Padawan.

That, of course, if she didn´t know a little secret about her current apprentice.

“So, Padawan Wyn, what do you say?” Master Kenobi´s voice invited; this time, smiling openly.

Aubrie didn´t feel comfortable with the idea of knowing the things she already knew. Consenting to taking this relationship would make her the sister of Anakin Skywalker, the very man she was trying hard to avoid. Not only because she knew the true nature of his feelings and thoughts towards his own Master, but to be put in the middle of it and pretend she didn´t notice was equally troublesome as uncomfortable. She had vowed to her friend she would remain silent over his inclination to the dark side, after all, that had been just one time. But to keep piling secret after secret was much more than she was able to tolerate.

As she stared at the grey eyes of Obi-Wan Kenobi she could see her own amber ones staring back at her. The gleam and the shadows in them. The fear and the apprehension.

All the reasons to refuse right there in front of her.

But, then, all the reasons to concede as well.

“I accept.” She declared.

Obi-Wan smiled kindly and the rest of the Council seemed to relax at that as well.

“Very well.” Master Windu nodded, clearly pleased with her response. “Padawan Wyn. You may kneel.”

So she did.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“Are we gonna find each other like this all the time?”

Anakin was seated in Padmé´s living room like he own the place. He was used to the elegant apartment by now, he felt comfortable with coming and going as he pleased, and really, wasn´t this the Senator´s fault?

“You gave me a key…” he remind her.

Padmé took a seat in front of the sofa that Anakin had made himself comfortable on, and smirked.

“Well, yes. But not for you to sneak inside my house every time I´m away.”

“Then what for?” Anakin scoffed, almost offended.

“You are impossible” Padmé sighed, getting up to get herself something to drink.

A silence embraced the moment between them. Padmé was just tasting some sweet wine when she heard Anakin sighing melodramatically. She knew better; the man was trying to gain her attention without actually attempting to just talk to her. Classic Anakin Skywalker.

Padmé decided to ignore him for the time being, taking some papers she hadn´t finish reading while she was at the Senate, before she went out for dinner. Comfortable in a corner of the room, she quickly concentrated in the words on the papers.

Anakin sighed again, this time, louder.

The Senator raised her eyes quickly, making sure that the man that was almost sprawled on the couch couldn´t see it.

“So bored…” the man muttered, faking tragedy.

Padmé closed her eyes in exasperation.

“What are you doing?” She asked. Putting her papers down, knowing well the man was not going away.

“I´m sulking.”

“A little bit too old for that, don´t you think?”

Anakin whined and buried his head on the pillows of the couch.

Padmé stood up from her comfortable seat to walk to the couches where Anakin was busy being a child, seated in front of him and laid her glass of wine in the coffee table between them.

“Is there a reasonable explanation behind this silly behavior?”

“You sound like Obi-Wan” Anakin complains. The name comes with slight bitterness, she notices. Anakin had already told her the news about Obi-Wan being alive during a brief call a couple of days ago, so she wasn´t surprised by the information. But the sound of Anakin upset by the reminder of Obi-Wan´s existence right now seemed a bit off.

“You two fought again.” Padmé guessed.

“No, we did not.” Anakin denied, still hiding his face from her sight. “And we don´t fight that much.” He added.

“Just all the time.” Padmé told him with a brow raised.

Anakin turned to see her with furrowed eyes, almost bothered.

“We do not.”

The female snorted at the remark. Anakin and Obi-Wan might love each other truly, but they were completely different. Opposites, even. They bicker about the smallest things, and the fact that Obi-Wan held the power in the relationship clearly bothered Anakin to no end, though he was not willing to admit it. The woman was older and also his mentor, Anakin tried to pretend that was not an impediment to their relationship but it was clearly a sore point for the Padawan.

“You are always complaining about her” She reminds him.

Anakin sits straight up, looking at her almost alarmed at the words.

“I… I don´t do that, do I?” he suddenly asks, unsure.

“You are always torn between saying she is the most amazing creature in the universe and complaining that she is holding you back. I wonder which one is the truth…” Padmé says, sipping from her wine.

“Well, she is.” Anakin tells her. “Both of those things, I mean.”

“Hmm.” The Senator hums, concentrating in her drink instead.

Anakin starts scratching his head, pulling at the golden strands of his hair as if thinking his words carefully, probably because Padmé just told him he was always confusing with his opinion of the people around him. The female politician usually has some troubles trying to understand how the relationship between these two functions; between the prohibition of it, the power struggle and the differences among them, the fact that they still very much in love was some kind of a miracle.

“Obi-Wan is going to have another Padawan” He finally settles. Looking at her, his face is detached of the almost comical playful anger he was showing before, now he was dead serious.

Padmé gapped at the news and placed the wine on the table again. She didn´t know awfully a lot about Jedi affairs, but she did know about the rule of apprenticeship.

“She already has you.”

“The Council saw fit to make an exception and give her another one.” Anakin spat out, walking around the room like a trapped beast. It reminded her of the last time they had a serious discussion, when he had told her that Obi-Wan was dead.

Anakin hated the Jedi Council the most, and she could certainly see the venom behind his stare and his declaration. There was no love between them, and Padmé doubted that would change anytime in the future.

“But surely she wouldn´t agree to it.” Padmé hoped.

“I don´t know.” Anakin shrugged. “She told me last night, and I basically stormed out of the room.”

“Anakin!” Padmé scolded.

The Jedi apprentice looked at her confused.

“What?”

“You cannot handle anything you don´t like to hear like that!” Padmé told him, standing up from her seat, looking disappointingly at him. “You didn´t even let her explain herself.”

Anakin scoffed.

“What for?” He mocked, walking back to his seat and throwing himself down to it, rolling his eyes “I didn´t feel like hearing one of her excuses…”

“You are worse than child” the Senator let him know. Brown eyes judging him with insult.

Anakin challenged her in turn, blue eyes hard as steel.

“It isn´t as she is going to disobey the Council, she never does” he tells her, bitterly, resentful “She always follows the rules and do everything they ask her to. I don´t need the confirmation.”

“Oh, really?” She asks him sarcastically. “Like when she married you? Like when she broke the Code and actually chose you?”

Anakin had the decency to look guilty for once. His furrowed brow quickly relaxed into a sheepish one, and his hard eyes turned into sad pools of water. She could feel him re-think his faulty words.  

 _Good._ Padmé thought. _Let him be ashamed of himself._

“You know, Ani?” She asked him. “I know it´s hard for you to hear it, but sometimes you ask people to trust you when you hardly do the effort yourself.”

Anakin looked up at her as if wanting to say something else. Another excuse, more likely. Padmé realized that the man before her had the tendency to do so every time it suited him, and the female Senator wasn´t going to have any of it.

“Now, go back to the Temple. Apologize to her. Stop being an idiot.”

Padmé took her glass of wine and left without looking if the young Jedi followed her instructions. It didn´t matter. She already had said everything she needed to.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Obi-Wan was seated cross-legged in front of her new apprentice. Aubrie and she already knew each other, they had shared a mission before she disappeared on Jabiim. The Knight knew the Padawan to be an excellent healer, and to be talented with the Force, the fact that she didn´t have to start from the beginning with a youngling and she had the task to instruct an already able and knowledgably young woman made things much easier.  

“So, I´ve been informed you are currently being taught the form of Vaapad by Master Windu” Obi-Wan says.

Aubrie nods solemnly at the mention.

“I am, Master.”

Obi-Wan almost winces at the honorific. Plenty people called her that, but the situation they found themselves in was a lot different than the usual use of it.

“A high honor” She compliments, regarding the training and the responsibility to bestow such difficult style to such a young student.

“Indeed.” Aubrie agrees.

“I think that it´s wise to say that if Master Windu himself thought you capable to learn such form, then you are worthy, and it will be senseless of me to stop you for going ahead with your lessons. You may continue your training with Master Windu.” She decides, nodding and smiling.

“Thank you, Master.” She bows.

“I also must inform you that the Council had just brief me that we have an incoming mission. So we are not Temple bound for much longer. You must prepare.” Obi-Wan told her with a serious voice she used with Anakin when she wanted him to pay attention. Which he rarely did.

“I understand, Master. I will be ready.” She told her in an almost dead monotone.

“I have also being told that you have formed a friendship with my other apprentice.” Obi-Wan tells her in return, easing the conversation with a smile. “That is a rare feat, so I must tell you to treasure it.”

Aubrie gives a small humorless smile. She knew what the Jedi Knight referred to when she meant it was a feat, she had heard that Anakin was difficult to handle and didn´t have many friends in the Order.

“I will. We got on well during our stay on Jabiim. But we haven´t had much interaction ever since.”

“Well, you two will have to re-acquaintance now that you´ll be working together.”

“Yes, Master.”

Obi-Wan smiled and got to her feet, ready to part now that she had discussed what it was meant to be said. But before she could say her goodbyes, Aubrie spoke.

“Master…” She started, waiting for her authorization to continue.

Obi-Wan almost frowned at the show of protocol. Not that Padawans were forbidden to speak their mind if they so pleased, it just that most of them were too humble to do so. Anakin certainly wasn´t, but he was respectful most of the time. Obi-Wan guessed she had accustomed to the informalities of their relationship for so long that she had automatically expected for Aubrie to be the same way than her husband.

“Yes?” She enquired.

Aubrie seems to sober up before opening her mouth again. Her eyes fell to the floor, apparently unsure.

“There is something I meant to tell you earlier, before all of these…” She explained, still too cautious and shy.

“Go ahead.” Obi-Wan allowed, staring down at her.

“When you arrived at the Temple. Before you lost conscience, I was there, talking with Anakin.” She told her.

Obi-Wan tried to remember Aubrie being there, but all that came to her mind was Anakin´s face, his blue worried eyes. The Jedi Knight was afraid to admit that she didn´t care much about anything else in that moment. She had missed the Padawan so much that she could barely contained her excitement and if it wasn´t because she knew that Alpha was behind her, she would have thrown herself into the inviting arms of her beloved.

“I was one of the people who took you into the healing ward.” She continued.

Obi-Wan smiled kindly.

“Thank you for that.”

Aubrie shook her head, trying to rest importance to the act.

“After that, when you were in the bacta tank. I allowed Anakin to come visit you, since I saw how much he cared about you.”

Obi-Wan almost gulped at the wording. Something was off, and she could sense it a mile away, Aubrie´s eyes were filled with consternation but also with some kind of determination, as if she knew something terrible.

“When he was with you…” She swallowed nervously, trying to re-gain her resolution. “I guess he forgot I was there or something, but he was begging, he was possessed. And everything, his behavior, his nightmares, his words, everything made sense then.”

Obi-Wan allowed the terror to transform her face. That couldn´t be possible, that couldn´t be happening to them.

“I don´t know whether you know or not about this...” Aubrie said, standing up to look at her at the eyes, forgetting about the formalities of their titles.

Obi-Wan could see her grey eyes reflected in the clear amber ones of the young woman before her. The fear, the doubt hidden in them. The hopelessness of what she knew to be inevitable.

“Anakin is in love with you.”

Obi-Wan´s ears suddenly became numb. She could only hear her own breathing.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Anakin walked the halls like a shadow. The previous discussion with Padmé still present in his mind.

The Padawan was so ashamed of his behavior. When he had arrived at Coruscant, he had gone and cried to the Senator how much he missed Obi-Wan, how his nightmares about her tormented him to no end. How he was nothing without her. And the next minute he had her back, alive and well, he goes to complain about how he is not the center of her attention and her world.

Padmé was entirely right. He was worse than a child.

And he felt like Bantha-Shit for it.

He had been so unfair, so confident of his insecurities. Believing his truth and only that one. He hadn´t even give room for Obi-Wan to explain herself or to even speak about it before deciding he was having none of it.

He had walked away from their apartments and got lost into the halls, just to end up in the training rooms, smashing a couple of simulation droids to bits and pieces with his rage. Obi-Wan must have felt his hazardous emotions for she didn´t attempt to follow him. And he had sneak back at their apartments when she was already asleep.

When he woke up, Obi-Wan was gone. Probably already doing her duties and assessing whatever was needing her attention. After all, his Master was hardly a passive Knight, she was highly requested.

He had been so righteous and full of himself in the morning. He now felt like the worse scum of the universe.

He reached their quarters and he entered without preamble.

Once the door was secured behind him, he advanced, sensing Obi-Wan´s presence in the kitchen. She was there, in the counter where he had held her against just a night ago. She was giving him her back, dressed fully with her usual creamy robes and even his outer brown cloak around her, which was strange. Her arms were opened, leaning her frame on the counter and gripping it as if seeking strength.

“Obi-Wan…” Anakin started. Better to just get over it than just waiting for a response that probably he wasn´t going to get.

After all, he didn´t deserve any welcoming. He had been a karking idiot.

“I apologize for my reaction last night” He said, bowing even when Obi-Wan wasn´t looking at him. “I was unfair and quick to anger, and shouldn´t have leave like that, and certainly not before you even had the chance to explain the situation. It was childish and unrespectful.”

Obi-Wan didn´t say anything. Her head was hanged in a tired way that Anakin rarely see her taking. It reminded him to the moments of his early apprenticeship, when he was being difficult and Obi-Wan was too young to put up with his insolence and his emotional needs. Every time she did, she thought he didn´t notice but he usually spied her from the entrance of the kitchen.

“Obi-Wan, please, say something…” Anakin requested. He loosed the ´Master´ in the conversation. This was something between Obi-Wan and Anakin. Wife and husband. Not between Jedi.

The female Knight had raised her head at his plea, but she hadn´t turned nor spoken.

“Is there something wrong?” Anakin enquired, sensing that the strange behavior wasn´t really about what had transpired last night.

Obi-Wan finally dropped her stance, and turned half way, showing half her face. Her eyes were almost red; she wasn´t crying but she was clearly disturbed. Anakin had seen her mad, had seen her disappointed, had seen her even reduce to tears, crying her eyes out when she thought he didn´t know that she missed Qui-Gon. But this was different.

This was fear, pure fear. An intense consuming fear that she tried to rationalize as rage. The bond between them vibrated with emotions and threatened to override him with its intensity.

“You know, I have always thought this relationship between us was a fragile thing” Obi-Wan said, her voice was coarse, wrong. Anakin flinched at the contained anger behind them. “…I always knew it was breakable, that one wrong step and we might be done. I just never thought it would be this easy.”

Anakin looked at her as if the woman had gone crazy, which was a possibility for all he knew.

The Padawan came closer to her, trying to move slowly, after all, Obi-Wan has never been this angry before. She has never been this aggressive. Anakin didn´t want to be the one to drive her over the edge. He wonder what could have happened that had put her in this state.

“What´s going on?” he asked, standing in front of her.

Obi-Wan bit her inferior lip with enough force to break the skin.

“Stop it” he ordered, his voice deep and commanding. Whatever was going on, she wasn´t going to hurt herself over it.

The female Jedi looked at him with deadly fury but she stopped her assault over her own mouth, which was good enough for the male warrior.

“Now, tell me…” He indicated.

“The Council summoned me this evening. They wanted me to take the Padawan they have assigned for me.” She told him.

Anakin took a deep breath at that, swallowing at the mention of the existence of another.

“And?”

“I said yes.”

Anakin´s response was immediate.

“You did what?!” he roared, anger flouring back and taking every pity he felt for the woman before him away.

“Shut up!” She screamed. Anakin flinched and took a step back.

“Shut up and stay shut up because if I hear another whine coming from you, I´m going to make sure you regret every word that makes it out of your mouth…” She threatened.

Anakin´s eyes snapped wide, deeply insulted.

“What is the matter with you!?”

“You left, furious and insolent like a child. I waited for you and you didn´t come back, so I went to sleep. You have no say in my decision. You made that clear when you stormed out and refused to discuss it like an adult.” She informed him, pointing a finger at his face.

Something was totally wrong, he knew that for sure. Obi-Wan wasn´t like this, something ugly and almost demonic must have taken over her body for his wife would have never reacted this way.

But she was right. He had passed on the right to have an opinion on her decision of accepting the other Padawan the minute he walked away.

“The Council convinced me to take the Padawan under my supervision. She is young but she is talented, and I didn´t want to leave her to the care of another Padawan Pack, so I took her in.” Obi-Wan explained, calming herself down for a while, although eyes were still like daggers looking for blood.

Anakin nodded slowly and then stopped.

“Wait, she?” Anakin asked.

“Yeah” Obi-Wan nodded, placing herself against the counter again, looking at the ceiling, looking for peace. “Aubrie Wyn.”

Anakin´s eyes opened wide. The mention of the name brought him a sense of fear and satisfaction at the same time. Aubrie was a friend. And Anakin had to agree with the sentiment that he didn´t want her near another Padawan Pack ever again.

“The Council assigned you to Aubrie?”

“Yes” She confirmed, pinching the bridge of her nose “She is a fine Jedi. Mace was supposed to look after her, but he doesn´t think she is the right fit for the kind of missions he handles. So he passed her on to me.”

Anakin nodded, still trying to digest the news. Aubrie was going to be his _sister_.

“And you know, she accepted. Because I knew she was your friend, I thought I could handle it. That you might warm to the idea of me having another Padawan if it was her.”

“What are you so mad, then?” Anakin asked, tone a bit bitter again, still angry that she had accepted at all. He like Aubrie all right. That didn´t mean he wanted her living with them, sharing Obi-Wan´s affections. Anakin could hardly be alone with his wife, a third wheel in the equation it was only going to make the task even more difficult.

“She knows, Anakin.”

Anakin raised his eyes at Obi-Wan´s. The Knight was looking at him with the same fear he detected when he entered. There was a part of him that understood what she said, but the other part, the bigger one, didn´t seem to put two and two together.

“What… do you mean…?”

“She knows.” She repeated, inferior lip almost trembling, eyes wet. “About you, about me. Us.”

Anakin sprang to life right then. His breath quickened, almost erratic. He shook his head, trying to deny the fact and to pray to the Force that this was not happening. He took a step towards her, follow by another until she reached her, trembling hands over her marked hips.

“No, no, she doesn´t” He told her. Obi-Wan looked up at him with sad eyes “I didn´t tell her, is that why you are so mad? You thought I told her?”

“She told me you didn´t need to. You were crystal clear. She realized when I came back home, when you were guarding my tank.”

Anakin paled all of a sudden. His heart beating harder and harder until it was the only thing he could hear. He felt he was going to vomit.

“She doesn´t know that we are married.” Obi-Wan added, softening the declaration “but she is sure you love me, she told me because she thought I deserved to know.”

“What did you tell her?” He accused.

Obi-Wan could have slap him for that, Anakin knew, but the woman decided just to continue.

“I was vague. Acted surprised, which I was, really…” Obi-Wan took a step back, dislodging herself from his hands, and placing hers on her face, clearly out of her element. “Told her I was going to deal with it…”

“I´m going to kill her…” Anakin growled.

Obi-Wan´s head snapped up with an equally surprised and terrified look.

“What are you saying?!”

Anakin looked away, taking some steps to the kitchen table and almost tearing it with the force of his hands. He wanted to punch a thousand droids for this. Wanted to go find Aubrie and wanted to do something worse to her. Much, much worse.

“She knows. She is a liability.”

“Are you listening to yourself?” Obi-Wan questioned him, more than scared now.

“Obi-Wan, she knows!” He yells at her. “She must have told the Council already.”

“That doesn´t give you permission to murder her!”

Anakin snorted without any humor. Only anger, there was only anger now.

“I´m not going to hurt her, Master” he mocked, almost insincere. “Not for lack of want, of course.”

“Thought she was your friend…” Obi-Wan replied, slumping against the counter again. Suddenly tired by the rollercoaster of emotions. He wasn´t going to hurt her. He was venting, that was all. The Jedi Knight felt alleviated.

“Well, yes. But she is nothing compared to you” Anakin confessed to her. Obi-Wan´s head snapped up and her eyes found his intense ones. Suddenly wary again, suddenly realizing that there was still darkness in those words.

If devotion was a person. It would be Anakin Skywalker. Because Obi-Wan had never saw any eyes like his, filled with passion and love and loneliness and hunger. Eyes that looked at her as if she was the universe. As if she was _his_ universe.

“You have no idea, Obi-Wan.” He continued, awaking her from her fears and her thoughts “of what I would do for you. Of what I would be willing to be for you. To keep you happy. To keep you safe. To keep you breathing.”

Obi-Wan gulped with heaviness. Looking at the man who looked at her from over his shoulder. The man who she knew so well but suddenly did not know at all. And just like that, Obi-wan could see more than just passion, love, loneliness and hunger inside those eyes. She could also see danger.

_Who are you?_

“You don´t mean it.”

“Oh, yes I do.” Anakin corrected. “This. You. Us. That´s all I have. If I lose it to some stupid girl who makes too many assumptions I don´t know what I might do.”

“Don´t talk like that. Don´t say things that make me scared of you.” Obi-Wan begged, suddenly afraid of something else, of someone she never thought she might be afraid of.

“Shhh” he whispered, coming closer to her, embracing her inside his arms.

Obi-Wan felt cold. Felt terrified.

_Who are you?_

“I will protect you. I will protect us. I won´t allow anyone to separate us ever again.” He vowed.

“Stop talking.” She begged.

Anakin´s arms held her even harder, pressed her against his chest until the only thing she could smell was the leather of his tabard.

“I love you” He declared. “Even if they find out. Even if they already know. Even if they kick us out and try to push us apart. I will always choose you. I will always love you.”

This was devotion, Obi-Wan decided. True and pure devotion. The kind of love that went beyond care and need, beyond the fragility of vows of marriage that, although said with conviction, easily breakable and abandoned. This intense drifting she felt, the encompassing embrace of souls and hearts, it was the highest of sentiments and declarations. His devotion kept her together so well, even in the brink of insanity and the fear of the possibility to feel the same devotion in turn. To be able to say the words she knew were wrong for her to say, words he promised so easily despite they both knowing is was a mistake for them to believe.

For a moment, Obi-Wan wondered if devotion was closer to fear than to love. To wrong than to right. To the darkness than to the light. And she finally understood why it was forbidden.

Love was essential to a Jedi. It was the core of the actions and the decisions they made.

A love for life. A love for the Force.

But this, this wasn´t _love_.

This was _devotion_.

And Obi-Wan wasn´t sure she liked it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

**IMPORTANT EDIT: It has been brought to my attention in another site that this version of Anakin is "Too dark" and "Too inmature", and maybe I have neglected to explain myself as well as I should. I thought I didn´t need to do so, because it was part of my story and my process to not spoil things that will come in the future of the story, but seeing how some people had been turned away by this version of Anakin Skywalker that I have crafted, I think it´s better that I speak out before I post another chapter.**

**This story is based on both the New Canon and the Expanded Universe (which consists of Comics, Tv-Shows and Novels, I´m not including the games because I´m not familiar with them), and MY Anakin is a version configurated by all of those and the one that serves this story better. For those who are not familiar with the EU, Anakin is a character that has displayed a dark side inclination from early days, it´s not something that started on Attack of the Clones, he has done bad even horrible things since he was a young padawan. This version of Anakin is not only afected by my knowledge of these things, but also by the fact that he was brought up by a Female Teenage version of Obi-Wan and not a 25-year-old-male Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan in this fanfic started raising Anakin when she was 16, far too unexperience and far from prepared to be a Knight and to be a Master. She was a teenage girl intrusted with responsabilities that couldn´t handle but was determinated to take in anyway. The Council was negligent to allow it to happen in the first place as they were negliglent with other things to happen in canon as well, the reasons will be told in future chapters so you will understand and not only trying to picture.**

**So, a young boy, that was a slave, was entrusted to a young woman who didn´t know better and that he was convinced he loved dispite the fact that he barely knew her had changed him from the Anakin that we know. Is he different from the Anakin you knew? Totally. He is supposed to be.**

**As a psychologist myself, I have seen people changing not by words but by experiences, Anakin will change. Anakin will grow out of his inmatturity and will improve in the future chapters because of Experiences, the reason he hasn´t so far, it´s because he hasn´t explore himself by his own, but solely by his relationship with Obi-Wan. Have you noticed how his thoughts drift towards Obi-Wan most of the time? And how Obi-Wan, although ´in love´with him, has other concerns and other thoughts that don´t revolve around her relationship with him? It´s because the two of them have different points of view and different upbringings. Obi-Wan, is by far, more mattured because she was forced to mature early. While Anakin has been marked and shaped by the presence of Obi-Wan as if she was the sun, and he was a planet.**

**I repeat that THIS WILL CHANGE. Not because a character acts a certain way during a time in the story, it means his going to remind that way all the story. I apologize for my lack of writing ability, for failing to translate this in my story and maybe making you uncomfortable with the direction I have taken. I have nothing against Anakin, I don´t hate him and I don´t seek to put him down with my story. I like him and that´s why I write about him, why I adore OBIKIN and I adore Star Wars. He is the heart and the center of this fantastic story, and I don´t want to make you think I´m just trying to make him the villian and the offender. He is, though, very flawed and very troubled and no matter how much we love him (especially in Clone Wars) that doesn´t change the things he has done and who he is.**

**By my part, I´m grateful for your reviews, your comments and your advice. I seek to be a better writer and to please you with a storyteling that actually brings you some enjoyment and entretainment. I´m sorry for the lack of attention that maybe I haven´t give to the way that Anakin was being percived. See you next chapter.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can see a Vader going on here.... ;)  
> Two in one week? I´m on a roll, probably another chapter in friday and another un Sunday. I´m making an effort people! trying to speed things out without compromising the story so we can get to ROTS as fast as we can.


	9. Clone Wars: Devotion (Part 3)

_“Master!”_

_Obi-Wan was on her way to getting out of her ship when she heard the voice of her apprentice. Her head turned to stare at the fourteen year old boy before her._

_“Anakin…” She nodded in acknowledgment._

_“Welcome home, Master” Anakin smiled._

_“Thank you” She reciprocated._

_“How were things on Mandalore?”_

_Obi-Wan sighed at the mention of the planet. She had been away for a while, and in her absence she had entrusted her loyal Padawan to the care of Master Tachi, an old friend from her Padawan years. Anakin didn´t like the idea at all; in fact, to be left behind exasperated him to no end, but Obi-Wan could scarcely allow herself to bring him along when tensions on Mandalore were at an all-time high. The thread of war still loomed ever closer on the planet that had a permanent tumultuous atmosphere and it wasn´t the place for a young Padawan learner to be._

_“It was fine” She told him, shrugging off the tension she felt formed in her shoulders “Things seemed to be getting easier now.”_

_Anakin smiled brightly in response._

_“Does that mean you won´t be going to that place anymore?”_

_Obi-Wan smirked weakly._

_“Are you really that tired with Master Tachi´s teachings or is that you miss me, Padawan?”_

_Anakin made a face of disgust. It was endearing and it made her laugh._

_“It´s not Master Tachi I dislike, Master. It´s Ferus.” He corrected._

_Oh, Ferus Olin. Siri Tachi´s young Padawan. The boy was around Anakin´s age and they even shared some friends in common but they both hated each other with a passion, it was quickly getting out of hand. At first, she thought of it as simply rivalry, one that it reminded her of her own poor relationship with fellow initiate Bruck Chan, although she expected that Anakin would never find himself in the shameful situation of fighting against a fallen comrade like she did. Ferus Olin was a nice, competent Jedi Padawan all on his own accord, it was Anakin who had the problem._

_“You really ought to stop that beef you have with that boy” Obi-Wan advised, taking the posture of a Jedi Master while they walked out of the Temple´s hangar and into the halls._

_“But Master he is a nerfherder!” Anakin complained. Obi-Wan eyes widen at the appellative. Ferus being called a ´Nerfherder´ was the farthest thing from the truth._

_“Padawan, you should see to your temper. It doesn´t suit a Jedi to be volatile.” Obi-Wan corrected, looking forward while they traveled the halls, nodding and smiling at the passing Jedi with grace._

_“Hm” he huffed._

_Obi-Wan sighed. She knew her Padawan was a prideful one, he had been that way since he had come to the Temple. It had been troublesome and difficult for him to grow accustom to the life of a Jedi, he didn´t make many friends at first and when he finally established real stable relationships with his peers, he lost them just as fast as they came. Obi-Wan had made an effort, alongside with other Masters, to encourage some Padawans to take a liking for the boy of Tatooine. Some had, eventually, warmed out to him._

_As they walked in silence through the Temple halls, Obi-Wan caught herself glancing and sending little looks in her apprentice´s direction. He had grown taller in her absence, which wasn´t rare since the boy seemly never stop growing, soon he was not going to need to lift his head to look at her eyes. Maybe she will be the one looking up when in need to talk and order him around._

_“Master…” Anakin called just before they reached the Council´s chamber doors._

_Obi-Wan stopped, noting Anakin´s apprehension, biting his lip in a nervously manner, the same way he did when he felt insecure._

_“Yes?” Obi-Wan enquired._

_Skywalker´s eyes stared at the shiny floor below him before raising up to stare at the grey orbs of his Master._

_“Are you going to leave me for a whole year again?” He asked._

_Obi-Wan opened her mouth in surprise, gasping at the question. Anakin looked so utterly heartbroken at the sole implication of him being left behind again._

_Obi-Wan had, indeed, gone in a long-term mission to Mandalore a couple of years ago. She was requested to protect the Duke of Mandalore, Satine Kryze, a brilliant and young politician that was threatened by the radical old ways of the Mandalorian warriors. He was a known pacifist, something that was completely absurd by the cultural standards of his people and the fact that he was soon to become the ruler of the planet soon brought several threats and assassination attempts on his life._

_Anakin was too young, around twelve, when she was requested to take care of the situation on Mandalore. She would have taken him with her, but the place had proved to be too wild and too deep in conflict for a young, unexperienced Padawan to be in the middle of it. Anakin was simply not prepared for it and the Council had placed him with the rest of the initiates._

_The boy had cried when she had told him. He refused to separate himself from her during the whole week that it took her to gather her stuff and prepare to leave. It was only after a promise to come back to him as soon as possible that Anakin finally seemed to stop his brooding and whining until he had accepted matters. Things didn´t turn out so bad despite the fact that she indeed left him for a whole year, because when she returned Anakin was not only delighted to see her again, but he had made friends and learned the basics of Jedi life._

_Obi-Wan would say that the experience have made him more independent. And it certainly improved his character._

_It seems though, that the sudden separation had also made him insecure of his position. Now, staring down at him, seeing him asking her if she was going to leave again, if she was going to disappear and return a year later or even much more later than that, Obi-Wan felt her own heart break._

_“Are you going to go again, Master?”_

_Obi-Wan took his hand and guided him to a nearby bench, they both seated side by side, and when Anakin looked at her confused, Obi-Wan smiled._

_“I´m not leaving ever again.” She promised._

_Anakin looked at her with a curious look on his eyes, half questioning and half convinced. Orbs narrowed as if inspecting and assessing if she was telling the truth._

_“I won´t leave you ever again. And If I do leave, it will be with you by my side.”_

_Anakin seemed to cheer up after that. The trademark teenage smirk back on his face. Banishing all the pessimism that he had shown before._

_“Do you promise?” He asked, standing from the bench._

_Obi-Wan smirked as well, standing on her own two feet as if proclaiming allegiance._

_“I swear.”_

_Anakin laughed of pure unadulterated happiness, and Obi-Wan felt as if she had truly come home since her return. Nothing could compared to this scene. Not even the sight of Coruscant from the viewport of her ship, not even the moment she had touched the ground of the Temple´s hangar, not when she had walked the halls and she had seen all the familiar faces of her Jedi brothers and sisters; nothing could compare when she was at the receiving end of the smile of her Padawan. When she was next to Anakin._

_“Now, Master…” the blond apprentice started, cracking the fingers of his hands “let´s get the report done before you pay for making me share air and time with Ferus Olin.”_

_Obi-Wan only response was to raise an eyebrow._

_“You owe me a meal at Dex´s.” He let her know._

_Obi-Wan laughed out loud at that. “Really now?”_

_“Oh, yeah. And let me tell you, I haven´t been this hungry since that Jungle Rancors in Felucia chased us out of our camp and we had to spent two days without food.”_

_Obi-Wan snorted at the memory._

_“I bet.” She laughed, not believing the excuse._

_With a final smile they both opened the doors of the Council chamber._

 

Obi-Wan woke up in the middle of the night with a small gasp. It was dark and her room felt cold. Instinctually, the Knight reached to her right, ready to embrace the always warm presence of her husband when she realized his usual place was empty.

It took her a couple of seconds to understand why.

With a heavy sigh, Obi-Wan stood up from her comfortable bed to walk out of the room, away from her dreams. She passed the hall and found herself in the middle of their living room to find what only seconds ago she was looking for. Anyone would think that the young man would prefer to lay down on his own bed, inside his personal bedroom, if he wasn´t in the mood to sleep next to Obi-Wan on the bed they now called theirs. But the Padawan was actually sound asleep on the biggest couch of the room, one that wasn´t even large enough to contain him.

Obi-Wan would also like to say the man had decided to do so himself, but the discussion in the kitchen had only brought out the worst out of both of them and after that, when things had settled, it was her who had asked Anakin to sleep separately from her.

Obi-Wan had never been this afraid of him. _For_ him.

Anger issues aside, Anakin has never been this dark. He has never been threatening and violent. He had shouted before, he had sulked, and had even gone against her wishes during missions and arguments but he had never menaced to go in a murder rage.

It had occurred to the female Jedi that maybe she didn´t know him as well as she thought she did.

_Who are you?_

The memory of the cheerful boy that she just had seen in her dreams, the vision of the Force that showed her his innocent face falling to almost a whimper at the possibility of her going away, of disappearing. It had prompted some questions of her not been able of seeing things.

Had _she_ done this to _him_? Is that what the Force meant?

It was almost comical, really. How Obi-Wan had been far too young to be a Master of a Padawan, and Anakin too old to be an apprentice of a Jedi. 16 and 9. They never stood a chance.

How could she ever believed they could have a normal relationship after all? How could she have possibly hoped that this young fearful boy would grow into a confident, calmed Jedi?

She had been a terrible Master, she now noticed.

When they were both young and just starting, Anakin clung to her. He had refused to separate from her for long periods of time. He had grown restless and denied attention that came from other Masters and Knights, he didn´t make friends, he didn´t connected with anyone.

Just her.

With time, he had finally accepted other people´s company, made some friends, eventually changed. Became passionate about being a Jedi and made dreams about bringing justice to planets like Tatooine, flying through the stars, freeing slaves, becoming a Master, a member of The Council. And she had been so relieved by all of it that she hadn´t noticed that all those changes were merely superficial, because he still lingered on her like a crutch. And, inadvertently, she had done the same.  

The sleeping form of Anakin rested on the couch, only covered by a thick blanket he had arranged for himself. He looked peaceful and Obi-Wan felt the need to touch him.

She extended her hand towards his figure to do just so but then paused.

_Who are you?_

The boy from Tatooine?

The young man that begged his Master not to leave?

The fiery Padawan that fought wars and defied odds?

The man who had kissed her against the counter?

The monster who had shouted in the kitchen?

 _“Who are you?”_ Obi-Wan didn´t know.

With that thought, she returned down the hall and got into her room. This time, she locked the door before going back to sleep.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Obi-Wan was eating breakfast when Anakin appeared at the door, he was freshly showered and wearing her usual dark robes. Obi-Wan took a sip from her muja juice, pretending to ignore the presence of the Padawan while the man examined the food.

“Mmm, you made Fral?” he questioned, impressed by the presence of the dish.

“Yes” she muttered, taking a bite of her own plate.

Anakin served himself and returned to the table where she was eating. The two of them hadn´t spoken much after the disastrous night, which really it had been just yesterday; Obi-Wan felt incapable to engage conversation and it seemed that the uncomfortable silence hanged between them while they ignored the Bantha in the room.

Anakin started wolfing down the food as if he hadn´t eaten in a week and the scene almost made her smirk. She reminded the mornings she had scolded Anakin for eating too fast or too much, telling him he was being uncivilized.

“We have a mission” Obi-Wan settled with saying.

Anakin lifted his eyes to stare at her, his orbs wore a mixed reaction. He lacked the usual excitement he possessed when they had to go off-planet and there was a wariness palpable through the Force that he couldn´t hide.

“Will Aubrie come with us?” he asked, pretending not to pay attention and to being busy putting some jam to his toast.

Obi-Wan moved some food with her fork, wincing at the question.

“No.”

“Thought she was part of the team now.” Anakin muttered, there was no venom, just fake composure.

“After what happened last night…?” Obi-Wan whispered looking at him through thick eye lashes.

Anakin dropped the knife to the plate, a loud clacker that made a lot of noise in the process. Placing his flesh hand on his forehead, seeking for patience.

“For the last time, I didn´t mean it!” he hissed, looking at her with an irritated look.

“It sounded a lot like you did.” She told him.

“Well, I didn´t.” He explained, insulted by the fact that she could think he did. “I was upset, I said stupid shit, it happens.”

“It seems to me that it happens more than it should” She points out, taking a gulp from her drink, expecting another explosion to ensue.

But it never came.

When Obi-Wan looked up at him again, Anakin was staring at his plate, his fork forgotten as well as his food and his apparent appetite. She couldn´t feel the usual raging storm she tended to sense coming when he grew upset and was about to latch back at her. The bond between them, usually alive with emotions, was completely quiet.

“I´m sorry…”

The female Jedi turned to look at him with a gaze of full surprise. Anakin wasn´t mad anymore, he wore a mask of sadness instead.

“Padmé is right. I´m behaving like a kid.”

Obi-Wan felt herself grow speechless. Anakin wasn´t big on apologies. He was much typically rash and he thrived in discussions that went back and forth, he was not one to accept he was wrong.

“Since I lost my mother I´ve been afraid of losing the people I love…” he reasoned, trying to find coherence to his own madness “and the war has only made it worse. And then you died…”

Obi-Wan seemed to understand then, just a little. The man before her was scared.

This wasn´t Anakin, then. The man of last night wasn´t Anakin.

The Knight almost allowed a laugh of joy and relief to escape her at the possibility that she had been wrong. That Anakin wasn´t lost. Wasn´t dark.

“I talked with Padmé last night, before coming to you. She told me I was being an idiot and a petulant child.” He bit his lip, trying to found some confidence, obviously embarrassed by accepting his flaws.

Obi-Wan smiled and reached out to his lips, touching them slightly with the tips of her fingers, trying to capture his attention.

“Stop it” she told him, softly, in a sweet imitation of his command when she did the same thing, biting her lip until it hurt.

He didn´t smile back, but at least gave her a sheepish look.

“I feel as if we have done everything wrong. The two of us.” Obi-Wan confessed, allowing some of her usual formality to flatter away. “As if we rushed into something we didn´t even know we could handle and we are scrambling around like fools trying to keep it all together.”

The red-haired woman felt the sudden weight of her own words. The taste of the bitterness that her dreams brought to her last night. Maybe she had done everything wrong from the start, not only with this secret marriage that only seemed to survive by the stubborn personalities of both of them, a relationship that was built only in constant conflict and the need to put each other down one way or another.

A warm hand brought her out of her somber thoughts and her complicated mind. Anakin´s calming presence filled her perturbed senses through the connection of their bond.

“I said a lot of foolish things last night” Anakin admitted once more, this time, his words were not hard as steel, they were kind, comprehensive, meant to ease her torment, not to sink her back into depression. “But there is something I said and I meant, something I will never take back…”

Obi-Wan felt lost with the texture of his words, his breath almost caressing the skin of her face. The compassionate shine of his eyes, and the sound of his breathing soothing her to a state of perfect serenity.

“I love you” he responded.

Obi-Wan felt as if she could finally breathe. As if she hadn´t been doing so since she had come back to Coruscant, as if she could burst into tears any minute by the realization of all these devotion between them two.

“I will always love you.” He sentenced.

Obi-Wan held his hand in return, clenching it with the same passion he just declared, hoping he could feel it even she couldn´t quite say the words back to him.

“I´m not ok. We are not ok.” He continued, searching her eyes until she meet them. “But we will be. We´ll find a way.”

Obi-Wan nodded, suddenly almost as sure as he was.

“We promised” he said, bringing their lips close enough to touch “We promised we would always find our way back to each other.”

With a last breath that sent a ripple down her spine, Obi-Wan and Anakin´s lips met in a soft kiss. It was tender and sweet, nothing like the magnetic passion that they had shown to each other in the kitchen two days ago. This was slow and deep, more meaningful that a thousand declaration of words could ever be, more unifying that an encounter of bodies.

Obi-Wan knew it would be all right. Somehow, it would be all right.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

They were on their way to Genian, an important planet that was currently listed as neutral in the war; after all, it was a corporate holding, filled with banks and labs and such, a place that couldn´t afford to become involved with the changing politics of the Republic but that thrived from them anyway.

Obi-Wan was currently reading a briefing of their mission, they were supposed to go to the desert and mountainous planet to retrieve some kind of device that was designed to break codes and secret messages, something that could be very beneficial in the war against the Separatist. 

As the stars streaked through the viewport from where she was seated, she found her eyes looking back from her shoulder to be able to see if Anakin was still there, minding his own businesses. The Padawan and the Knight now stood in better ground despite the terrible scene they both caused just last night and for that, Obi-Wan felt confident that they could work together in this mission without incident. That they could left whatever unresolved tensions plagued their minds when a better time to discuss them arrived.

Anakin seemed relaxed despite the lack of communication, and Obi-Wan could feel through the bond that he was concentrated and focused on the mission ahead, reading his own briefing, checking his utility belt over and over, making sure that all his usual devices and tools were on the right place, even inspecting his lightsaber in the hunt of new or unexpected imperfections. Watching him retreating to his usual behavior had brought a smile to Obi-Wan´s face.

The Jedi Knight had to explain to Aburie right before leaving why she couldn´t come along. She lied, of course. Told her that she and Anakin needed time for their own, to settle things down before taking her into the team. Aubrie had taken this very well and probably thought that Obi-Wan had chosen the occasion to converse with her male Padawan and fixing the attachment issue that Aubrie had warned her about. Obi-Wan will, of course; although not in the way that the female Padawan thinks she would.

It was going to take a few hours for them to arrive to Genian, so she allowed her tired mind to put down the papers she had already read a couple of times and stood up from her resting place, capturing the attention of her, at that time, entertained Padawan.

“Is everything okay, Obi-Wan?” Anakin asked from his position on a couch.

Obi-Wan smiled kindly, reassuring. “Yeah, I´m just going to lay down for a while. I think I didn´t sleep well last night.”

Anakin frowned at that, surprised by the unexpected declaration but seemed entertained enough with his saber to enquire more.

“Sure.” He told her.

Obi-Wan crossed the room and walked to her assigned quarters. They were in a Republic cruiser, it wasn´t massive but it was big enough to carry several ships and rooms for them to use.

Once she had reached her quarters, an impersonal room with a bunk with grey sheets, a lamp in a small table, dark grey walls and a connected fresher, she sighed and took off her boots, positioning them orderly beside her bed and proceed to remove her sometimes oppressive belt and lightsaber, placing on the night table.

She felt herself ready to succumb to a good nap, resting her head after the sleepless night she had spent on her lonely bedroom. But once she closed her eyes and emptied her mind, the dreams came to hunt her like an enemy.

 

_Obi-Wan was in the room of the thousand fountains, it had become one of the places to go when she was seeking comfort and sweet loneliness but suddenly felt confused as to why she was there._

_Looking herself at the reflection of the water of a river where she was seated, she looked at the reflection of her face being dirty, her cheeks were dingy with dry soil and dust, her hair unruly and uncharacteristically tousled from her usually perfectly crafted braids._

_Not knowing why she was seeing this, why she was here in the Temple in the first place when the last thing she remembered was her on a Republic flagship; she watched with horror as her usual grey eyes turned blue. Her auburn hair suddenly had a blonde shine to it. Her long hair now shorter, her scared face changing to an accusing scowl._

_“You did this to me!_

_Obi-Wan gasped at the sound of that voice demanding answers. It wasn´t her voice. She was alone. She turned around, there was no one else but she could hear it. Angry, disappointing, crying. She suddenly felt a constricting pain inside her chest. A familiar unhappiness drying her throat._

_Obi-Wan suddenly wanted to cry, an insane sensation of loss and sadness taking control over her body. Obi-Wan wanted to ask, to understand what was going on, but she couldn´t even speak._

_“How could you picked him, Obi-Wan!?”_

_Obi-Wan closed her eyes and allowed a single tear to fall from her eyes. Suddenly overcome by grief._

_“I´m going to tell them! I´m going to tell them about you and him!”_

_The same voice. The same accusations over and over again. Obi-Wan felt like she could cry all night. Like she could cry for her entire life._

Obi-Wan gasped awake. The dream both clear and blurred on her mind. She could feel the Force surrounding her, pulsating through her body like blood pumping inside her veins.

Those were Force Visions, Obi-Wan realized. Horrible, scary and misleading images crafted by her fears and her insecurities. Somehow, she felt the familiar sensation at the sight of them, as if she had lived that fear, as if she knew that voice calling at her. She hasn´t have Force Visions since she was child, it was an old ability that she thankfully lost over time. An aspect of the Force that she didn´t want to possess.

Before she could regain her senses, the Force warns her for a second time.

Obi-Wan could suddenly feel a familiar presence nearby, a Force signature which she was attuned with but that she hasn´t sensed in a long time. Before the familiarity sinks in, she notes how the cruiser had lost the usual purring noise of the engines. The flagship must have stopped while she was asleep.

With a frown she stands up from her bunk, walking down the halls and letting the Force guide her to the direction of the new Force signature. Her steps quickly take her to the hangar bay of the cruiser, surprising herself at seeing a new small vessel with two figures walking down the ramp.

There, in all their glory, were the figures of Senator Padmé Amidala and her fellow Jedi comrade, Siri Tachi.

“Master…” the approaching voice of her apprentice, Anakin, comes to her.

“What is the meaning of this?” she questions with a raised eyebrow, nodding at the direction of the new arrivals with her head.

Anakin shrugs with an equally confused look on his face.

“Apparently, the Council had seen fit to grace us with the company of reinforcements.”

“Reinforcements?” Obi-Wan enquires almost with a snort. Siri seemed like a normal addition to their team but Amidala was an odd choice, after all, the woman was a politician, not a Jedi. “Well, let´s see if they have any more explanations then…” Obi-Wan invited. Anakin nodded.

They both walked until they closed distance with the new companions. Padmé smiled at the sight of them both. Siri, instead, remained serious but nodded with acknowledgment.

“Master Tachi, Senator…” Obi-Wan bowed respectfully, Anakin quickly imitating the action behind her.

“Obi-Wan, Anakin, it´s a pleasure to see you again” Padmé said with a kind smile.

“It certainty is, Padmé.” Anakin muttered, usually more serious than he would be if they were alone but still using the Senator´s first name. Obi-Wan almost grunted at the over-familiarity the Padawan was using with the politician. She knew they were good friends, but this was not a social visit, it was Republic affairs.

“What has brought you two here, If I may ask?” Obi-Wan enquired.

Siri came forward, wearing her strange red attire, the one that has surprised everyone when one day she ditched the usual Jedi robes for a fashionable red bodysuit.

“The Council sent us to aid you in your mission” She explains with an even voice.

“I thought it was only the acquisition of a simple device” Anakin butts in. Voice surprised by the statement.

“Well, yes” Padmé responds “But the device has a significant importance, so the Republic insisted that a diplomatic figure participated in the procedure, especially if negotiations were necessary to acquire it.”

Obi-Wan almost feels surprised by the clarification, Jedi were diplomats just fine, they didn´t need the help of Senators to negotiate deals or to get things done.

“Apparently the man who invented the device is the owner of a technological company, so the Republic felt more comfortable with the presence of a representative of the Senate in the discussions.” Siri explained directly to her. Her comrade probably felt her apprehension in the Force. Obi-Wan nodded.

“Well, I guess that if it´s the Council´s decision…” Obi-Wan shrugged, smiling politely. Padmé returned the smile and immediately focused her attention to Anakin.

The both of them walked away, talking cheerfully. Obi-Wan sighed at the sight but quickly remembered the presence beside her.

“It has been a long time…” Obi-Wan told Siri. The blond knight nodded and started walking next to her, guiding themselves away from the hangar and into the halls of the cruiser.

“It has been.” Siri granted.

Siri has been here for just a couple of minutes but Obi-Wan could feel her own skin crawl at the sight of the Jedi Knight standing close to her, bringing uncomfortable memories alongside with her company.

The truth is that she hadn´t seen Siri in a long time and now that she has it had sparked that uncomfortable feeling on the pit of her stomach. She remembered the blond Jedi as an old friend of the past, a friend to who she had parted ways with.

“You look a little pale.” The Jedi Knight beside her remarked, looking at her from the corner of her eyes.

Obi-Wan almost jump on her own place. Startled by the sudden conversation.

“You think?” she asked, unsure of what she was supposed to say.

“Have you been sleeping well?” Siri questioned. Obi-Wan almost gulped at the question, it was as if the woman has read her thoughts. “You look as if you need a lay down.”

The auburn haired Jedi smiled shyly, trying to rest importance to the statement.

“I´m fine” She lied. “It´s better if we get on with the mission, I think.”

Siri shrugged, taking her silent offer of diversion.  

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

In a couple of hours they have reached the planet Genian, after taking a much more modest ship, courtesy of Senator Amidala, they landed and quickly entered the big central city of Bruit, where the main company of Talesan Fry, the inventor and businessman they came looking for lived, was based. The Senator had also arranged for them some comfortable accommodations, a radical change for the usual tents and camps they have grown accustom to.

The minute they have gotten inside the nice looking apartment her Padawan had being delighted with the change, almost sprawling onto one of the couches. Anakin had an equal disregard and fascination with fancy things in life. He had grown as a slave, he didn´t need great pleasures to found himself comfortable, but the minute he was given any kind of luxury he seemed to make the most of it.

And since he know had the company of possibly his dearest friend, he had taken that new addition as an excuse to spent his time with the Senator instead of with Obi-Wan, and the Knight had to repress rolling her eyes when she got to see them walking around the room together making jokes and sharing secrets like two little younglings.

“So…” Siri suddenly said, taking her out of her thoughts “will you ever stop glaring at the Senator?”

Obi-Wan´s head almost snapped at the speed she turned to look at her companion. Siri was raising an eyebrow in questioning, her hands placed over the table where they were planning their next moves.

“Don´t know what you mean.” Obi-Wan shrugged, looking out of their massive window beside her chair and inside their expensive accommodations. The city before them extended over the rocky surface of the planet, it was nothing like Coruscant but at the same time it seemed so similar with the fast speeders passing by and the bright lights of the tall buildings reflecting against the glass.

Siri scoffed, offended by her dismissiveness.

“You have been throwing daggers at them since the mission started.”

“I have not.”

“I see your dislike for politicians remains intact.” The blond Jedi remarked, remembering her behavior towards them for their old days of apprenticeship “Good. They are not to be trusted.”

“Amidala is decent.” Obi-Wan offered but nodded at her sentiment. Siri was right, politicians were hard to trust and it was better not to.

“Is that why you seem to want to run her through with your lightsaber?” she questioned, bitter smirk on her pink lips.

Siri Tachi had a bitter dark sense of humor. Always had. She had been unforgiving, even when they were young, but with the passing of years and her work as a spy for the Order, the humor became not only dark but sometimes rightfully un-Jedi like. For Obi-Wan is was almost hard to picture her as the ruler-sticker she used to be when they were both Padawans, they used to fight each other all the time.

“For the last time, I do not hate her.” Obi-Wan rolls her eyes. Almost finding herself smirking, knowing that the blue-eyed Jedi didn´t mean anything by it “If you must know, I was looking at my Padawan, that´s it.”

“Oh, yes. Anakin Skywalker, The Chosen One.” Siri tilted her head to the side, to stare at Anakin from the distance. The boy was seated on a fancy couch with Padmé, discussing something interesting for the look of it since he had been doing so for the last hour.

“He´s still a difficult one, I take?” Tachi asks at her.

Obi-Wan was about to deny the accusation, but there was no point. She was right, he was, and even if she denied it, Siri knew first hand that Anakin could be a handful, after all, she trained him for a while as well, when Obi-Wan was busy going back and forth to Mandalore.

“He has improved, grown. I would say it won´t take him too long to become a Knight.” Obi-Wan declares with pride, looking softly at the smiling face of her apprentice while he talked away with the female Senator.

“The rumors about you sentimentalism towards him are clearly not exaggerated, then.” Siri remarks, almost bitterly, as if Obi-Wan was being ridiculous on her affection, it made the auburn haired Knight tense her shoulders. “But I was somewhat the same with mine, I guess.”

Obi-Wan´s almost deadly eyes soften at the mention of the Siri´s ex-Padawan. Ferus Olin, possibly the Jedi that Anakin had hated the most, was but a sad memory for them all. It was always regrettable when a student decides to interrupt his training and abandon the ways of the Jedi and it´s also quite rare, so when Ferus announced to his Master and to the Council he was leaving the Temple, it had taken everyone by surprise, and Obi-Wan could say that it had broken something inside Siri as well.

“Ferus was a nice boy.” Obi-Wan entrusted her “I bet he had made a fine life for himself, wherever he is now.”

“Hm” Siri finished, incapable of saying anything but staring at the sight of the buildings.

Before the silence could settle uncomfortably around them, the double doors of the apartment they were sharing opened to reveal the form of Talesan Fry, the man they came to this world for.

Siri Tachi tenses behind her, and her blue eyes become hard, the eyes of an experienced Jedi on a mission.

 _“Right”_ Obi-Wan thinks _“Back to work.”_

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Talesan request was a simple one, they have to find out which one of his employees in his company was a spy for the competence. Obi-Wan had almost complained that such matters were not concerns of the Jedi, they didn´t go around being benefactors of private corporations, but Talesan was not only a businessman but the inventor of a code breaker device that the Republic wanted and needed for the war efforts. Talesan had offered the device to them at a very high price, of course; and he seemed to favor their side over the Separatist´s only because both, Siri and Obi-Wan, already knew him beforehand, something that had surprised Obi-Wan. They met him when they were young Padawans and protected him during a mission, Siri had looked at her when he had reminded them about it, Obi-Wan had looked to the floor instead, remembering bitter memories.

So, they have spent their time trying to narrow down the long list of employees of Talesan´s technological company into only a few names of possible candidates of being the so called spy that the man proclaimed was trying to sabotage him.

Padmé has proved quite useful then; assessing the situation and the candidates with the professionalism of a diplomat and the mind of a brilliant queen. She had reviewed papers and papers concerning the profiles and activities of the staff and has quickly found an extra aid in the abilities of espionage that Siri possessed, together they quickly listed three names: Helina Dow, Dellard Tranic and Moro Y´Arano.

They had all agreed to make their move tomorrow; right now, they were supposed to be sleeping, resting so they could be an effective team in confirming their suspicions, apprehend the guilty one and take the device back to the Republic without more interruptions.

But Obi-Wan couldn´t sleep. The bed she was laying on was big and comfortable, but she might as well could be laying on a piece of rock as far as she was concerned. She felt cold to the bone and no matter how many blankets she got covering her she still felt as if they weren´t enough to warm her up.

Every time she closed her eyes, another memory assaulted her, a recurring situation since her discussion with Anakin. The screams she had heard in her dream were disappearing, she could barely remember them now but she could still feel the distress she experienced while unconscious.

Obi-Wan didn´t need Master Yoda´s presence and wise words of to understand that probably the Force was trying to tell her something; that dreams like these didn´t come without a message or a purpose.

 _“Jedi do not dream. They only see a possible future or an event from the past.”_ Qui-Gon once told her. She wonder if what she was seeing was just a projection of the future, of her fears because of what Aubrie had discovered, of what she has seen in Anakin´s eyes during their fight in their rooms.

So she got out from her bed and walked away from her cold dark room. She roamed the equally obscure hall until she reached the living room.

The fancy place was illuminated by the gigantic window that gave her a good view of the city: the lights of the buildings, the sound of the air-traffic around them, it was strange, but it was somewhat soothing too. Nothing as comforting as the plants and vibrating life of the Temple´s gardens but the sight and sound of life of people around her was equally stimulating.

She sat down, cross legged in front of the pretty sight, straightening her back and ready to meditate. There were reasons why the Force was showing her those dreams since her fight that night, she knows that there was a motive for it, there always was, she just needed to find out why.

She closed her eyes and she submerged herself in the infinity of the Force, waiting for the familiar tug and pull of the trance that always brought her peace.

_Quinlan´s hand felt warm against the skin of her hand. She had always liked the texture of her friend´s skin, it was different from hers, it was unique. Rough and strangely soft at the same time. She feels like she has grown looking at those hands. And she felt terrible at the prospect of just letting them go._

_“Obi, are you going to stare at my hand all day?”_

_Obi-Wan didn´t respond, she remained quiet, the way she has been since she had returned from her mission from Cirrus; Quinlan had waited for her arrival but when the girl finally came back, she was different. Distant and reserved. Quinlan had teased her for that, asking her if a Howler had eaten her tongue._

_Obi-Wan hadn´t laugh at the joke and that was all Quinlan needed to know that there was something wrong with the young Padawan learner._

_“You know I cannot help you if you don´t talk to me, Obi” Quinlan told her, his tone denoted worry but it was surprisingly soft, seeking to not anger her._

_Obi-Wan still didn´t say anything._

 

“You are being very loud…”

Obi-Wan opened her eyes to turn and see a disheveled sleepy looking Anakin at the entrance of the corridor that connected to the rooms, he was wearing soft loose leggings and only his inner jerkin, it was opened enough that she could see part of his chest.

Obi-Wan was suddenly grateful for the presence of only the dim lights of the city reflecting inside the room, because otherwise he would probably see her blushing to the roots of her hair.

“How…?” She began only to be interrupted.

“The bond…” Anakin explained, yawning and coming closer until he sat next to her.

“I didn´t know I was projecting…” she told him, truthfully sorry for it.

“It´s fine. I like to be able to sense what you are thinking, even when you rarely talk about how you feel.” He let her know, the statement was told with an almost dismissive manner, but his eyes denoted he was disappointed by her choice of keeping to herself.

Obi-Wan didn´t say anything, she felt suddenly unable to speak. She usually knows exactly what to say. Some people were starting to call her ´The Negotiator´, this was one of the reasons why she had been included in this mission in the first place. She was known to talk her way out and into things. But right now, she had been so distracted with her own feelings and concerns that she has failed to raise for the occasion and she has thought that Anakin was ignoring her in favor of his dear friend, Padmé, that she hadn´t realized that the young man was only giving her space until she decided to share her preoccupations when she felt ready. Obi-Wan felt ashamed of herself; they were certainty still trying to figure out where they were standing, but they were not going to forsake one another for just one terrible fight.

“Are you going to tell me what´s wrong or will I have to guess?” Anakin pressed, staring at her with a tired expression.

Obi-Wan felt so insecure all of a sudden. Anakin was looking at her with concern on his eyes, even with the sleepy look and the messy clothes. He had been concerned enough to wake up and got out of bed to come and see if she was all right, she could almost feel him reaching out through the bond that had brought him here in the first place.

“I´m having dreams…” She confessed.

Anakin looked at her as surprised as he was confused, smart eyes taking a strange gleam.

“As visions?” he questioned.

“I don´t know. I don´t think so. They are just memories, most of them…” she told him “I don´t even understand them, they are just… random.”

Anakin looked unconvinced with her response. And seemed like he wanted to press for a real answer, but she didn´t have any to offer.

“When I was a child, I used to have them a lot.” Obi-Wan confessed to him, trying to amend for the fact that she rarely talk about herself “Master Yoda and the other Masters thought that I would be granted the gift of premonitions, I am, after all, very attuned with the Unifying Force. I never liked it.”

Anakin´s interest seemed to be picked up by her words.

“Why? Why didn´t you like it?”

Obi-Wan looked at him in the eyes, deeply serious.

“The future is always changing. Having visions is not only unreliable, is painful. You don´t choose what you get to see, you might see something you prefer you hadn´t.”

“Have you?” Anakin asked, curious at her tale. There was something new in his eyes now, a hidden glare of interest, probably because he knew exactly how it felt, to having nightmares you wish you hadn´t seen only for them to become a reality “Have you seen something you would have preferred not to?”

She smiled sadly, suddenly apprehensive to be discussing something like this with the man who understood this topic better than anyone.

“If I ever did, I forgot about it.” She said vaguely. Remembering the nightmare at the cruiser, don´t even knowing if it qualify as vision of the future or a twisted thing from her past.

Anakin stared at her in a rare way, as if deciding if she was being honest, it reminded her in the way he used to look at her when he was still a youngling and she had promised to come back for him after classes; Anakin had always wore that look of distrust, as if she would abandon him at the latest opportunity.

Obi-Wan couldn´t stand looking at those eyes for far too long, they were so openhearted, so passionate and consuming. Anakin´s worry had turned into a palpable bitterness, it always did when someone reminded him of his mother.

“Would you show me?”

Obi-Wan felt herself startled by the question. Anakin was staring at her, meaning every word, extending his palms to her as if offering something.

She looked down at his hands with a raised eyebrow then looking back at him. “What do you mean?”

“When I was young, before you or Qui-Gon came along, I used to have nightmares at night. I´m sure you are familiar with them.” He explained. Obi-Wan could feel his sadness while talking about his mother, and it came to her in waves. The bond between them vibrating with the terrible feeling.

Obi-Wan nodded shyly.

“She always made me talk about them, it made me feel better… sharing them.” He said, hands moving to grab hers in a soft grip. “You don´t have to talk about them, but you can show me.”

Obi-Wan understood his words in an instant. Feeling uneasy, she closed her eyes and allowed their bond to open between them, connecting their mind until it showed everything with clarity. She felt Anakin tensed the minute the images came back to her, once the Force brought her dreams to life.

 

_Obi-Wan was sat down in one of the meditations rooms, she was supposed to be concentrating on her thoughts, releasing her frustrations into the Force, but she was fidgeting with her hands instead, she was nervous, she had been like this for a couple of days._

_“You have been awfully restless, Padawan.”_

_Qui-Gon Jinn was staring down at her even when they were both seated, perfectly positioned and facing at each other._

_“I´m sorry, Master.”_

_Obi-Wan was barely fourteen, long red hair half tide up high and half falling free down her back, in an almost identical style of her Master´s. The only difference apart for the great length of their hair, it was the thin braid that hanged behind her ear._

_“You don´t need to apologize” Qui-Gon reassured her with a softness on his tone “Just tell me what it´s making you unhappy.”_

_“I´m not unhappy…”_

_“You have barely talked the entire week, you are eating inside your quarters instead of the cafeteria with your friends and you have been distracted during our lessons…” He pointed out, raising an eyebrow as if daring her to deny it. “… so, what is it?”_

_Obi-Wan just remained quiet for the duration of the session._

When the memory finished, Obi-Wan dropped her hands from Anakin´s grasp, stood up from her place at an almost unnatural speed and smiled sadly down at him.

“I think it´s better if we get back to sleep.” She said, voice almost shaking.

“You said you couldn´t” he reminded her, getting on his feet as well, this time, the note of concern in his eyes was accentuated. But thanks to the Force, he didn´t enquired about what he just saw or why she felt like no speaking about it.

“I´ll find a way.” She swore to him.

Anakin seemed to meditate this for a minute. “Would you prefer to me to sleep with you?”

Obi-Wan snorted at the petition.

“You know that´s impossible. We might be discovered.”

“I know.” He declared in a whisper, his robotic hand reaching out and caressing her face to accentuate his worry. “What did I just see, Obi-Wan?” he asked.

Obi-Wan smiled again, this time, with something closer to happiness. He was worried for her, but it wasn´t the usual powerful almost all-consuming paranoia that he displayed every time Obi-Wan was in danger or hurt or simply upset. He was calmed in his preoccupation, even and measured in his words. It made her hope he was indeed making an effort. Improving. She couldn´t ruin that.

Obi-Wan shook her head.

“Just the past.” She promised.

Anakin gave her a final look, not at all convinced by her statement but deciding to not pursue the issue, he kissed her brow and dropped his hand, turning around and walking away from her.

As Obi-Wan watched his back, moving farther and farther away from her and into the darkness of the hall, she could feel a shudder running up and down her spine, a cold chill at the sight of him fading away from her touch.

Obi-Wan suddenly wanted to cry. It was stupid, it was childish, completely out of her own character. She didn´t burst into sporadic tears, she didn´t get emotional out of imaginary and perceived issues. So, she closed her eyes, closed the bond between her and Anakin, let herself go into the Force. When she opened her eyes again, she felt nothing, she saw nothing, only the cold and the darkness of the night.

She knew what she just saw. And Anakin could not know about it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 ***Fral** : is a Star Wars dish.

 ***Muja Juice:** A very traditional drink made of Muja, a type of fruit.

 ***Howler:** A Star Wars creature that are natives of Yavin 4. They have a reptilian appearance.

This is a quick drawing I made of 14-year old Obi-Wan by the way, lol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, guys, first of all, I invite you to make theories at what Obi-Wan saw on her visions, what do they mean? There is a story behind them, lol.
> 
> I want to thank SilentAssassin11 for editing the first part of this fanfic. If you see more mistakes after that, it´s all my fault, guys. 
> 
> Originally this chapter was longer, but I decided to cut it short because it was too damn long, like, over 30 pages. I apologized for not posting it on the weekend as I promised, but I had a problem with the story and had to edit and re-edit time and time again so the storytelling was coherent and didn´t feel all over the place, if it did, please let me know, I´m trying a sight change in my writing style, especially with the flashbacks, so your reviews would help me improve.


	10. Clone Wars: Devotion (Part 4)

“I told you it was Helina Dow” Siri glared down at her while they both hanged from Talesan Fey´s Company building.

Obi-Wan rolled her eyes at the accusation.

“I just thought it was equally possible for Dellard Tranc to be the guilty one, he had access to the files of the device as well.” She explained.

“Yeah, well, next time let´s go with the intelligence expert´s gut, shall we?” Siri suggested with a scowl. Obi-Wan would either continue the argument or laugh at the furious expression on her fellow Jedi´s face if she wasn´t busy trying not to fall from the edge of the building.

“Duly noted!” She reassured her instead.

It was a funny story, how they ended up here. They have decided to split in two teams; Anakin had gone with Padmé and Obi-Wan had gone with Siri, both groups tracking down different suspects. Obi-Wan was insistent into follow Dellard Tranc, the man has, after all, access to the files of the design of the code breaker. Siri followed her lead with a frown, not at all convinced. As it had turned out, Siri was the one in the right, Helina Dow, the vice-president of the company was the real mole, and she was quickly escaping off-planet with the device as they hanged from the building where they lingered from their lives after a slight altercation with a group of bounty hunters that were in Helina Dow´s side. 

Needless to say, Obi-Wan felt embarrassed by her miscalculations. She was sleep-deprived, tired and her mind was obviously elsewhere, with her visions and nightmares and the consternations of what they meant. And also, she was now paired with the person she shouldn´t be.

Before they could either continue bickering like children or trying to collaborate to find a way back to safety, a nice-looking speeder approached them and situated right below them. Obi-Wan looked down just in time to see Anakin reaching out of the speeder, opening the wide cockpit to talk to her.

“Master!” he yelled, Siri looked down to see Obi-Wan´s Padawan, surprised at the sound of his voice “I think it´s time for you two to come down, don´t you think?”

Anakin was speaking with a respectful tone, but Obi-Wan could see the dashing smirk on his face even from her uncomfortable position. Yes, the Padawan was certainty appreciating the occasion an enjoying her discomfort.

“I go first” Siri petitioned, giving her a nod with her head before letting her grip on the edge go and falling right in the speeder, next to the seated figure of Padmé Amidala.

Obi-Wan swore to the Force that if she made it out alive from this one, she will dedicate her life to avoid reckless daredevils like Master Tachi and Anakin Skywalker.

“Come on, Master!” Anakin shouted, still wearing that shit-eating smirk on his face. “Jump. Here, I will even catch you!”

“Yes, yes, like you promised you would on Ohma-D´un?” she shouted back.

“That was ages ago!”

“Four months, Anakin…!” she growled back at him with a frown on her face, looking down at him as if he was an idiot.

“Just jump, Kenobi! The spy is escaping with the device as we speak!” Siri barked at her.

Obi-Wan couldn´t argue against that, so she relinquished her grip and fell directly into the arms of her secret husband.

“Let´s go…” Siri said, taking possession of the controls of the speeder, Padmé quickly talking with her and giving her directions as to where to go.

Neither of them paid any attention to the two Jedi who were busy dedicating warm and loving eyes at each other. Anakin was still gripping her waist with soothing hands, smiling down at her with an expression that denoted clear happiness but that was barely there, careful to not show too much emotion since both of them have to try to look just like Master and Padawan, but Obi-Wan was willing to take this demonstration of affection than the swift disregard that they are used to show to each other during the missions surrender by people.

“Hello there” Obi-Wan whispered. Both of them close enough to kiss.

“Hey…” he saluted back, giving her a gentle squeeze to let her know he was glad to see her safe. “Told you I would catch you.”

Obi-Wan giggled, bathing into the light of being in the center of his attention again.

“So you have. I never know with you.”

They smiled to each other in as accomplices, enjoying a private joke than the est off the world would never know, would never understand. They were in the middle of the mission, and as tempting as it was to just bask into the feelings they possessed for each other, to get carried away in the connection they temporary had and that they have lost since that fight in Coruscant, they had to concentrate in the here and now.

They have to complete this mission, and then come back to each other; and with that thought, they disengaged their embrace.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

When they managed to arrive, it was too late. Helina Dow was taking the device off planet, ordered to do so by a bounty hunter named Magus.

Anakin had groaned at the thought of having to go around the stars systems trying to find where they have taken the code breaker but at least he calmed down a bit when Obi-Wan promised she would allowed him to steer the ship they will be needing to chase down the criminal. That had lightened up his mood since Obi-Wan hardly allowed him to take charge of the flying.

“You know I´m the best pilot, Master.” Anakin complains with a playful smile.

“You are also the best at crashing ships.” Obi-Wan sassed back.

“No fair, Master” Anakin whines while getting ready to fly the ship, at this pace it will take them a couple of days to get to the stealers.

“Hurry up, Anakin. We are supposed to capture them not to let them escape.”

“Do we even know where they are going?”

“Siri has the coordinates, she has managed to track them down.”

Anakin whistles to himself, fairly impressed “She really knows what she is doing…”

“Well, yes. She was a spy.” Obi-Wan shrugged, not dismissing her accomplishments but offering a sound explanation for them. Quinlan was the same, so Obi-Wan was hardly impressed by her comrades’ abilities at this point.

“You two were together in the crèche?” Anakin inquired, genuinely interested while they break the atmosphere of Genian.

Obi-Wan hums for a minute. Anakin knew very well that Obi-Wan wasn´t really big in talking about her past, so he wasn´t surprised at her hesitation.

“Well, I wouldn´t say that. Siri is older for two years, we weren´t that close.” She finally mumbles.

“I like her.” Anakin declares, eyes still looking forward, thank the Force. The least that Obi-Wan need is him distracting himself for the task for a silly interrogation.

“She is nice” Obi-Wan states, trying to rest importance to the conversation as well as putting an end to it.

Anakin doesn´t let her get away with it and he giggles at the statement.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Obi-Wan frowns. “Nothing. Just… you know, she is fine.”

“I can detect some bitterness there.”

Obi-Wan scoffs, offended by his immature behavior. “Don´t be childish, we like each other just fine.”

“´Just fine´ being code for ´we don´t´.” Anakin whispers to himself but he finally shuts up when Obi-Wan sends her one of her looks.

The female Jedi turns her head around to see Senator Amidala comfortably seated with the straps on besides Siri. The blond Knight seems to be impatient and a little upset by their tardiness and Obi-Wan couldn´t quite blame her, after all, it was her who had suggested that Helina Dow was the guilty one, if Obi-Wan had listened they wouldn´t been in that situation in the first place.

“And your dreams?” Anakin asked with sudden seriousness.

Obi-Wan turned her head to look at him, eyes assessing and questioning, wondering if he knew more than he let on.

He gave her a side-eye. “Could you go back to sleep last night?”

“Yes.” Obi-Wan told him without waiting one more minute.

“Mmm” Anakin hummed, face expressionless and eyes staring at the now open space before them.

“They have already gone into hyperspace.” Obi-Wan informed him, groaning at the fact that they have successfully escaped.

“Please tell me that Siri´s coordinates are right…” Anakin growled under his breath.

“They are.” Obi-Wan said with a sigh.

“Where to, then?”

“Azure…” Obi-Wan responded, perplexed.

“That´s a Republic base planet…” Anakin exclaimed, turning to look at her with a deep frown.

“Indeed. It´s actually being disputed right now between the Republic and the Separatist.”

“So we are going into a war-zone” Anakin sighed with a fallen face.

“Apparently.”

“Great. It´s not awfully far.” Anakin said, almost growling. “Azure, I mean. It´s close. We will be there in less than an hour.”

“Then let´s go.” Obi-Wan directed, standing up from her seat and cracking her bones.

“Right away, Master.” Anakin smiled.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Obi-Wan decided to go to the back of the ship. She wasn´t comfortable enough to just sit around with Padmé and Siri for she wasn´t going to pretend that she didn´t understand enough of what she saw last night, that everything hadn´t come back to her like the raging winds of a storm to just sit and make conversation with the two women. She couldn´t seat beside Anakin either, being close to him brought too many things to the surface that she couldn´t handle still. She couldn´t handle what she saw that night in the kitchen, no matter how many kisses and words of apology came in the morning. She couldn´t handle the weight of the terrible secret that was locked behind her mouth when a single person, who didn´t even know them that well, discovered their recklessness without much clues. She couldn´t handle the consuming guilt she bears even right now, hiding here, in the back of the empty cargo hold of the ship.

Obi-Wan was seated on the floor, fixing her eyes on dark grey flat steel, knees bent in the familiar lotus position, hands laying softly in the long legs of her own body, heart beating in her ears, the same piece of herself that she claimed it belonged to her husband and now she wonders if it ever did. It wasn´t lack of love, she knows, but it wasn´t the same kind of love that Anakin professes to her.

She felt interrupted. Break in the middle by equal parts, by two halves that she loves so much she doesn´t know if she could live without them. Doesn´t know if a blustering fight, a sweet dutiful girl or a heavy guilt would be the one that would tear her apart. Or, worse, if the mere choice of destroying herself would come from her own hands, if she would be the one to choose to rip herself apart for a brotherhood that gave her life and purpose or a young romantic man who gave her challenge and devotion. Because she knew that whatever she choose, if she ever did, it would cause her death, for as a person couldn´t live with only one arm and one leg, with half a head and half a heart; she couldn´t imagine a life where she could breathe or feel or love without the two halves of her own self.

“I never got to apologize…”

Obi-Wan didn´t jump in her own skin, didn´t even startled. Even in the confusion of her mind she could recognize the familiar presence. Even after all these years.

“You did.” Obi-Wan corrected “In your way.”

“I hurt you.”

“We hurt each other. As children usually do.”

“Well, I didn´t have to be so petty about it.”

The silence followed the statement like a fitting response in its own right. Obi-Wan was so used to the constant noise of her usual companion every time she said something he didn´t agree on that the comfort of just acceptance was very welcomed.

“What gave me away?” The red-haired Jedi asked. Breaking that beautiful silence that was never meant to last.

“You have always been easy to read; you didn´t say anything about it, that´s when I figured it out. You know I always hide things better than you do.”

“You didn´t seem very worried.”

“When do I ever seem worried?” The other voice breathed out. “It appears to me that you have always had that opinion of me, as if you expected me not to have any feelings at all, Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan allowed a bitter laugh to follow the statement. This was the first time in many days she had allowed the sentiment to transpire, the shaky bitterness and complicated emotions involved with the whole idea of them being together again.

“You have changed.” The voice remarked, still lingering on the edge of the entrance of the cargo hold, away from her.

“You have as well.”

“I don´t know what I expected. I have seen you through the years, I´ve talked with you many times before; funny enough, this is the first time that it actually feels like I´m talking to you again.”

“I´m not certain if I know what that means…”

“You do, you just don´t want to embarrassed me with an explanation.” The words were rough and soft at the same time, it made Obi-Wan want to turn around to face what she knew she was avoiding. “…Or an affirmation.”

Another silence settled between them like a fog on a cold valley. Obi-Wan felt like she wasn´t ready for this conversation although the Force sang through the nerves that conformed her body, telling her that this was what she had needed all along.

“Would you ever forgive me?” the voice enquired again. It was just a voice, Obi-Wan renationalized, it didn´t belong to a person until she could grow some courage and turn around to see it´s face.

“Forgiven and forgotten.” Obi-Wan promised in a thin breath.

A bitter laugh filled her ears. It wasn´t hers.

“That´s the Jedi in you. Talking.” The companion explained her, neither happy nor unhappy with her response.

“I don´t know how to be anything else.”

“I think there lays the problem.”

“Quinlan said the same thing. Little time ago.” Obi-Wan commented, testing the waters with the third wheel that hadn´t been mentioned. “Although with different words, I believe.”

“It surprises me how that man could know you so much and so little all at the same time.”

“It´s not his fault. I didn´t give him reasons back then.”

“Always so noble. I think that is the reason why I love you.”

A shaky breath came out of Obi-Wan´s pink lips, as if someone had punched her in the gut out of the blue. It made her core tremble and her ears were stunned with a sharp chirp that overpower anything else.

“We have been so childish, both of us.” The voice continued, torturing the soul out of her. “Pretending to get along, making jokes, concentrating in the mission; ignoring the fact of what I screamed to you that night, what I promised I would do out of spite.”

Obi-Wan felt herself crumbling in the inside. Quinlan had been right, after all. She always pretended she deal with the things life threw at her, pretending to deal with her Master´s death, pretending to deal with the responsibility of being a Master herself, of her stupid undeserved nickname, of the price she pays for her secret vow to just one man, pretending to deal with being who she was. The truth is that she never has. And this voice was remembering of her most intimate weakness.

“You didn´t say anything. You stood there and took it because that´s who you are, Obi-Wan. I was mean and cruel, threatened to do something horrible and you did nothing, because that´s who you are.”

Obi-Wan closed her eyes, feeling suddenly light-headed.

“And once I did my damage, you went your way and pretended nothing happened.”

“We promise not to let it change us.” Obi-Wan replied, excusing both their behaviors, after all, they were supposed to be above such things.

“But it changed us” the other voice reminded her, almost in a demand. “It destroy something between us and now we can no longer pretend it didn´t. It´s stupid.”

The red-haired female almost gasped with pain. The Force was heavy, she felt as if she couldn´t breathe, she could almost feel her grey eyes prickling with unshaded tears. She could almost swear she felt like vomiting her own heart.

“I just want you to know…” the creature behind her gasped, not as serene as Obi-Wan thought the voice was. Falling apart almost as bad as she was in that moment. “… it wasn´t your fault. Never your fault. It was me, jealous, angry. I think you think you have handle it but it´s not true.”

Obi-Wan found the force within herself to turn almost half way, not enough to get a visible form of the voice behind her, but just enough to almost convince herself she could turn the whole way, to face what the Force was telling her she needed to. To put a face to the voice so it would be over.

“I saw it when you talked to me, refusing to do so if it´s wasn´t in a public place. I saw it when you danced around the obvious, choosing your words so perfectly, avoiding every possible conversation that could turn sour. I saw it, Obi-Wan.”

“Are you angry because of that?” Obi-Wan asked.

“No. I am sad. Because I could have done this sooner and I didn´t.”

The silence returned. This time it was not soothing, it wasn´t welcomed. It was like ice, cold and unforgiving.

A sudden movement of the ship, the soft cease of the rumbling of the hyperdrive telling them they have reached destination; it was like a wakeup call for the conversation. As if the Force had granted them time and space to solve whatever it needed to be solved before throwing them back into their destinies, it was like it was taking time and that time was over.

Obi-Wan still didn´t know if she was meant to say something.

“I love you.” The voice vowed, breaking ice, stopping silence. “I always will.”

Obi-Wan turned around so fast she could have hurt herself, it was a spontaneous motion that her brain didn´t command but that her heart needed to take.

The entrance was dark and lonely. There was no face. No creature. No person. As the voice has silenced, so it´s body has evaporated.

A dangerous thought crossed her mind.

Maybe there has never been a real person, no real voice. Maybe it was just her and her exhausted mind, her desperate heart, her uneven soul. Maybe she had turned everything around just to appease her own sanity.

That possibility terrified her more than the fact of that voice telling her it loved her had.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

When they have landed, they found themselves in the middle of a small war of themselves. Magus had brought with him a collection of bounty hunters and the Separatist forces had aided them against the three Jedi. Thankfully, the planet was under Republic control, and soon enough Obi-Wan, Anakin and Siri found themselves helped by clone troopers that were stationed and ready to battle.

Obi-Wan and Anakin had quickly taken a stance to protect Senator Amidala from harm, although the young politician refused to just hide and pray for her sake, she had quickly taken a blaster and started to shot at the small army engaging them.

“We are not going nowhere with this” Anakin remarked through clenched teeth.

“What do you suggest, Padawan?” Obi-Wan asked with a drop of sarcasm, reflecting some blaster shots back to the droids.

“Someone has to go and chase Helina and Malgus” the blond Jedi offered, slashing his sabre with great mastery.

“I can go!” Padmé quickly suggested, crouched on her knees and hidden behind a piece of rock, while taking turns firing her own weapon.

“No way” both Anakin and Obi-Wan said at the same time.

“We cannot put you in danger, Senator” Siri explained, slashing her purple saber and kicking some droid away at the same time.

“I am already in danger!” Amidala exclaimed, dogging a blaster bolt.

Siri gave Obi-Wan and Anakin a look of amuse and Obi-Wan could see Anakin grinning in response. The blonde Knight had changed attire in the ship, Obi-Wan had noticed. She no longer wore the skin tight red suit she used to model so well, but was completely wrapped in typical Jedi robes, although with a preference for darker colors, her clothes were almost identical to Anakin´s.

“Fine.” Padmé growled “Why don´t you come with me then?” the Senator asked.

The three of them turned to look at her for a moment.

“For my protection. I´m not necessarily needed here and I can fly a ship, I don´t need to engage Malgus myself, but I can help you get there.” The ex-queen continued.

The reason behind the words was sound, any moment they wasted fighting this battle was more time Malgus and Helina had to escape off-planet and take the device along with them. That was not acceptable.

“I´ll go” Siri stated. “Anakin and Obi-Wan are more effective in the battlefield and I have to say that I´m better with stealth.”

Obi-Wan rolled her eyes but Anakin nodded, sending a look of concern at Padmé. The Senator smiled with affection and Obi-Wan almost frowned at the out-of-place intimate gesture.

“I will be fine, Ani.” She promised and then took off with Siri by her side.

Obi-Wan continued her assault on the enemies, taking no prisoners and using her exemplary Soresu form to slash through the lines without getting a single scratch. Her body had grown accustomed to war by now, something that in normal circumstances wasn´t supposed to be; Jedi were trained in single combat and taught to defeat several enemies at once in some occasions but to face a war was something that she didn´t grow up thinking it would ever happen. Look at her now, engaging enemies left and right and using her saber more than the Jedi diplomacy she was taught in the Temple when she was little.  

“They are gone, Master.” Anakin told him, nodding at the sky where they could see Malgus ship trying to flee again and their own ship following close.

“Let´s finish this then, so we can join them.”

“Yes, Master!”

They redoubled their efforts. Obi-Wan couldn´t help but notice how fiercely and wild Anakin became during a battle. Every strike off his sabre was like a lighting strike, full of power and speed. His eyes were hard and stormy, regarding the enemy with fury, and Obi-Wan was sure that if the enemies weren´t heartless droids but living sentient beings they would have been terrified at the sight of them.

While they battled aided by their soldiers a loud sound could be heard in the distance, Obi-Wan quickly turned around seeking the source, almost alarmed at the thought of bombs being used. But she found only the smoke of a ship falling from the sky.

Anakin gasped beside her, suddenly aware of the possibility that the happening could mean.

“Relax, Padawan.” Obi-Wan suggested “It´s not our ship.”

It was in fact, Malgus´s. Obi-Wan almost smiled knowing that Siri has done as she promised.

Anakin continued his battle with a soft smile, his eyes catching the ship that carried Padmé flying swiftly through the sky, directing itself to where Malgus´s has crashed.

“I think that´s good enough.” Obi-Wan said, ceasing her storm of movements. “We have decimated the droids, the troops can take control now.”

“Yes. Let´s go to Padmé and Siri, Master.”

Obi-Wan nodded as they ran.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Obi-Wan doesn´t recall much about it, later in time she would describe everything as a blur.

One minute she was fighting and wining, running through a battlefield full of droids, watching the enemy´s ship crash somewhere closer to the mountains and her fast legs carrying her to it, ready to complete their mission and go home; the next, she was staring at the form of Siri Tachi´s body, bleeding out on the ground and gasping for breath.

Everything seemed to slow down right then.

It felt surreal.

Her legs, the same ones that have carried her, that were so strong and powerful in the thick of the battle, now stood weak. She felt as if she was going to drop to the ground at any minute. It didn´t surprise her when it finally happen. Her clothed knees touched the rough ground beside Siri´s body, which laid there before her, almost dead.

The blue eyes of her old friend stared up at her grey ones, Obi-Wan could almost see the pain hidden in them. Her hands touched the clothes that wrapped Siri´s chest but that hadn´t protected her from a fatal blaster shot.

Obi-Wan lost any awareness of anyone else around them. It was as if the galaxy had stop in that right instant. The Jedi looked down at her hands, those useless hands that seemed so capable just a couple of minutes ago and that now were fragile and pathetic.

They were red with blood. With Siri´s blood.

“Obi-Wan…” a voice gasped.

The red-haired female didn´t listen, she placed her hands over the ruined chest of her friend, concentrating in sending Force waves of healing, hoping they could repair the damage, that they could stop the bleeding, that they could take them back in time, that they could do everything or anything, it didn´t matter.

“Obi-Wan…” the voice repeated, out of breath.

The younger Knight felt herself getting detached, seeing everything out of perspective. Looking down at her own hands, only her hands. Not allowing her ears to listen, not allowing her eyes to see and not allowing her mouth to speak, for if she ever did any of those things then everything would be real. And she didn´t want real. She didn´t want this.

“Obi-Wan, stop…” the voice begged; this time, the voice had a hand. It was _cold_. White and cold. Grasping her wrist, trying to stop her efforts.

“Let it go, just let it go…” the voice told her, gripping her tighter, sending her back to a reality she didn´t want to live in.

Her grey eyes were the first to betray her. They raised up from her hands, they got locked onto another pair of eyes, these ones blue.

“Obi-Wan…”

The voice was back, but now, with a face. A face she knew. A face she saw many times before.

Her own body shook with never ending shivers.

The Force, which has been so loud these last days, sending messages she couldn´t understand, it felt like exhaling it´s last air, as if this tragedy was the end it had always planned and Obi-Wan felt like cursing it.

“It´s okay, there is nothing you can do…” Siri told her. The face told her. The voice told her.

Her hands were wet now, with a wetness different than blood. Obi-Wan looked down to them to find drops and drops of water on them. It took her a second to realize that her face was wet too, with never ending tears.

“Let it go…” Siri told her.

There was someone beside her, she now realized. As if the words muttered by her dying friend revived everything into motion, as if they took her out of a trance where only both of them existed.

It was Anakin, she noticed. Kneeling beside her, eyes jumping from her to the Jedi dying on the floor. He wore an incredulous look on his face too, it wasn´t quite sad but it wasn´t a numb expression either. If Obi-Wan reached to their bond, she would surely know exactly what feelings and thoughts ran through the boy´s head, but Obi-Wan didn´t feel like breaking her own heart twice.

“Master…” he whispered, trying to capture her attention. Reaching for her hands, separating them from Siri´s chest.

The moment he did, Siri´s own cold hands grasped Anakin´s. The young apprentice turned to look at the Knight with surprise and concern.

Siri´s almost dead eyes fixed themselves on the blue steel of Anakin´s. And Obi-Wan sat back on the dusty ground, not really understanding what was happening but not really caring either.

“Take care of her…” Siri requested and Anakin flinched. But the Knight smiled anyway.

Siri´s eyes looked back at her and Obi-Wan, who was not done crying, could almost shatter at the powerful stare her dying friend.

“I love you.” She admitted, shaky breath and consuming last words. “I always will.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

They were back in the ship. The code breaker device safely locked into Republic possession, and with a brief report to the Council, they had the green light to go back home.

Everything was supposed to be fine. But it wasn´t.

Anakin was seated in one of the chairs of the ship, mindlessly staring at the grey floor beneath his feet, feeling more tired that he has ever felt in a long, long time. Anakin had thought that the pain of losing someone he loved was something that couldn´t be replaced or compared to anything else, that he couldn´t feel more misery than what he felt when Obi-Wan died on Jabiim. He was wrong.

It was nothing compared to the pain of watching a person you love losing someone they held dear in turn.

Seeing Obi-Wan crying like that, so openly and clearly in a state of complete confusion wasn´t something he wished to see again in his lifetime. He had felt so useless, so incapable to stop the pain that had assaulted his loved one. If he hadn´t been there, it would have not made any difference.

The apprentice wasn´t only disappointed by the fact that Obi-Wan had lost someone she cared about, but because it had been a Jedi.

For all of Anakin´s usual complains about the Order and its members, he had grown up there, he had friends, teachers, people who shaped him in some way or another, and even when he didn´t feel as an equal to the lot of them, he cared about them. They were brothers and sisters; at least, that´s what they taught them when they were young. That they were a family.

Anakin didn´t know Siri well, but he didn´t need to. Once, when he was younger he studied under her tutelage for a short period of time, since Obi-Wan was busy doing something else on Mandalore. She had been different than the person he met just a couple of days ago. She had changed. And even if she hadn´t, she had not been his friend, she had been his caretaker.

Even Padmé, who wasn´t a Jedi and knew next to nothing of the deceased Knight, was clearly hurt by the loss. She was seated in her own chair, staring at the space with sad eyes over the window closer to her seat. She hadn´t said much since what happened. And as if sensing his thoughts she suddenly felt like talking again.

“Ani…”

“Mm?”

“How´s Obi-Wan?”

Anakin didn´t know. Probably not well, though. She was not even there with them, she was well hidden somewhere else in the ship.

“I think you should go to her.” The politician told him.

Anakin shook his head. What for? He didn´t have anything to lessen her sadness, and thinking back to the last few days between them, he only had the ability to aggravate her pain.

“You should try.” Padmé pointed out, reading her mind in that special way that only she knew how.

“I will only make it worst. That´s all I do.” The Padawan told her. Exasperated with his own inability to comfort his loved ones.

“I think no one could alleviate her pain. But if there is a chance, that would be you.”

The blue eyes of Anakin stared at the brown orbs of the Senator, fighting uselessly against her precious logic. With a sigh, he gave up, standing up from his seat and getting out of the spacious cockpit.

It took him only a couple of turns to find his Master; after all, the ship they were traveling in wasn´t big.

He got into the biggest space of them all, the cargo hold. Where Obi-Wan stood staring at the dark grey walls. She was giving him her back and didn´t even move as a sign of acknowledgement to his presence. She was holding something with both hands, but from his position he couldn´t see what.

Anakin thought of calling her name, but that on itself felt silly and out of place. He didn´t have anything to say.

So he walked instead, forced his feet to move to her direction, praying to the Force that she wasn´t crying, or worst, pretending she felt nothing at all.

When he reached her, she wasn´t staring at the wall as he initially thought, she was staring at her own hands. They were still red with dried blood, the same way her eyes were still red with unshaded tears. The sight of both things made him want to whimper himself.

But it wasn´t her hands, he discovered, what put her to a trance. It was what it was between them. The perfect and golden shine of Siri´s lightsaber.

Padmé had been wrong, after all. Not even he had the right words to say to his own wife; he couldn´t do this, he couldn´t stand there and pretend he knew where to start and what to say, how to comfort a broken heart to mend itself after a nightmare.

Obi-Wan had always been better with words, she always knew exactly what to say, how to say it. But who was the one who could comfort the one who was the best at it?

So, Anakin did what only he knew what to do. He rounded his arms over her form, he pushed her onto his chest, and tucked her head under his head, kissing her red hair with his plump lips.

The minute he did, he could hear a whimper and then a sea of never-ending tears.

His hands caressed her arm and back over her robes, making a soft motion of solace, gentle sounds of calm coming out of his lips mixing with her gasps and weeping. Her nose now pressing against the skin of his neck.

“I´m so sorry… I´m so sorry” he chanted, trying to sooth what he could not ease.

Obi-Wan´s whimpers continued and Anakin almost trembled when he dared to look down at her, watching the river of tears streaming down her cheeks, her pink mouth opening with laments, her chest shaking now and then with the force of her weeps.

He feels so small, then. So tiny. Thinking how many transgressions happened to this woman, how many unfair jokes had this life played to her, how many tricks and injustices had the Force planned only to hurt her. And then, thinking how much had he contributed to that despair. How much has he done himself to harm her just the same.

Just when he feels her calming down, going back to her own self, going back to Obi-Wan Kenobi, the woman he loved and cherish and knew so well, he starts to feel a little better too.

“I´m sorry, I´m being silly…” the woman in his arms whispers, sniffing and trying to dry her tears with the back of her robes.

Anakin tenses almost immediately.

“No. Don´t do that.” He begs with a concerned voice “don´t ever feel as if you must be sorry for crying, for showing your emotions to me.”

“I´m not usually like this…”

“Something tells me you are actually like this, and you just schooled yourself into not showing your real self.” Anakin mutters, surprise with his own discovery.

Obi-Wan shakes her head as if denying the accusation, but the silence on her lips tells Anakin that he has nailed his deduction.

“You don´t have to hide from me anymore…” the man explains to her, voice soft and tender, still unsure if the Knight was still sensitive and willing to cry.

Obi-Wan doesn´t say anything, and that´s all right, because Anakin doesn´t know what to do either.

The female Jedi pushes against his chest with soft arms and Anakin frowns at the motion but allows the separation, looking as she cleans her face with her own clothes, trying to erase testament of her most needed outburst.

Anakin feels like this would be a nice moment to tell her of what he knows, but doesn´t want the woman to turn defensive on him, so he shuts his own mouth, trying to not allow any words to escape, no matter how much he wants to.

“Is Padmé alone on the cockpit?” Obi-Wan wonders, going back to her old self.

Anakin nods.

“That´s rude…” The woman jokes without humor, not even a weak dishonest smile on her lips.

“Seems to me that you needed the company more” the man excuses.

Before Obi-Wan could make a move to retreat back to the cockpit, where Padmé awaited for them both to return, Anakin grabbed her hand in his. The woman turned and looked at him expectantly, unsure of what the Padawan desired.

Anakin only lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her thin fingers, making her frown and blush all at the same time.

“You are not alone anymore.” He promised. Both, face and voice serious and resolute. “I understand that this is who you are…”

Obi-Wan flinches at the wording, as if remembering something painful at his words.

“…You are hard and rational and downright stoic sometimes…” Anakin continues, ignoring the gesture “… but I´m not a Master of the Council, I´m not a knight or a politician, I´m not someone who will judge you and condemn you, I´m someone who loves you.”

Obi-Wan breathes a mouthful of air, almost shaking by the confession.

“I´m your husband. And I will love you even if I don´t like what I see. Even if I can´t understand it.” He swore. “…even if someone else loves you too.”

Obi-Wan gasps and tries to pull her hand from Anakin´s grip; it doesn´t work, Anakin only grips tighter, without hurting.

“It´s not like that, Siri and I…”

“You didn´t tell me…” he says, almost mad but leveling his voice so it´s not accusing “I don´t know why; in this moment, I don´t care. I only care about you.”

“She loved me…” Obi-Wan tells him.

“She did.” He replies.

“Are you mad?”

“Not now. Maybe later.”

Obi-Wan almost burst into a nervous laughter. It probably occurs to her that Anakin has never been this honest before. As clear with his words as he is right then.

“I didn´t love her back.” Obi-Wan admits, a sad look on her face as if she regretted the fact, as if she felt guilty about it.

“You didn´t.” Anakin says without fear, getting closer to kiss her brow. “Were your visions about this?” he asked a minute later.

Obi-Wan raises her eyes to look at the blue shadows of his, sighing after confirming he wasn´t going to grow upset.

“Yes.”

“And you didn´t want to tell me because you thought I would be mad?”

“Yes.”

A silence overcomes them and Obi-Wan grips Siri´s lightsaber with her other hand, the one that is not trapped in Anakin´s clutches. Anakin could tell that the woman was both nervous and sad, probably predicting that he would go directly into an angry fit.

He wasn´t. Not because Anakin wasn´t jealous but because he knew that Obi-Wan didn´t love Siri back, not the way that the blond Jedi would have wished for. After all, Obi-Wan didn´t kill that man. That Malgus who had taken Siri from her, she could have slash his throat with her saber and the Force knew that even he, Anakin, wanted to do so as well. No, if Obi-Wan had really loved her, she would have killed him. He knew he would have if anyone else would have killed Obi-Wan instead. The same way he killed Stratus in Jabiim. The same way he was going to kill Ventress once he´d find her. The same way he would have run this galaxy dry, if the galaxy itself would have being the cause of Obi-Wan´s death.

“I´m not mad.” Anakin decides, lifting her head by her chin, kissing her full in the lips.

Obi-Wan shivers at the touch, sensing something strange in the action but gives into the intimate act anyway. Moving her lips in tandem, enjoying the motion and the way that the peaceful admission of Anakin makes her feel.

The kiss is passionate and reassuring, Anakin felt this action missing since they parted from Coruscant. And he hated to interrupt the gesture but he had to, before he found himself in need of more than just a kiss. He finished the kiss and then planted a new one to Obi-Wan´s forehead.

“Let´s go, Padmé is waiting.”

“We are kissing and you want to go back to the Senator…” Obi-Wan growls, annoyed by the reason behind the interruption.

Anakin smiles against her skin.

“It´s rude…”

Obi-Wan laughs, for the first time.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

_Two girls were seated in the middle of an obscure cave. They have been there, trapped, for a couple of hours. It was dark, and if it wasn´t for the light of the numerous glowing sticks that they had on their belts they wouldn´t be able to see a thing._

_“I was right…” the blond one muttered, upset._

_“Cut it out, Siri.” The red-haired one requested, more tired than upset._

_“If you would have followed my advice…”_

_“Probably we would be dead.”_

_“Oh, and this is better?” the blond one, Siri, exclaimed. “We are trapped!”_

_“Yes, and not dead.”_

_“Yet!”_

_The red-haired one just laid there on the dirty floor, she didn´t seem to be eager to respond and fight, it was more of a melancholic face._

_Siri seemed to calmed down at the sight of the sad face that the other girl wore, biting her pink lip before she spoke again._

_“Are you thinking of him?”_

_“Him?” The other girl queried, confused._

_“Quinlan” Siri fixed, looking at the grey eyes of her companion. “We all know you two have something…”_

_The girl frowns and seemed to nervously push her legs closer to her body, as if seeking refuge._

_“So I was right…” Siri whispers, a bitter tone and eyes growing hard, angry._

_“We are good friends…”_

_Siri snorts. “Yeah, sure. We all know you love each other, stop lying.”_

_“What does that matter to you?!” The girl explodes, spatting back at her._

_“It´s against the Code!”_

_“It´s none of your business!”_

_“Yes it is!”_

_“Oh, yeah. Why?” The ginger barks, getting closer with a menacing pose. “Because you hate me so much? It´s that why?!”_

_Siri turns red with anger, pushed back against the wall of rock behind her._

_“You have always hated me even when you pretend we get on so well” the red-haired girl tells her “Ever since I left the Order, you have always been upset. Well, I´m sorry, why I left had nothing to do with you, the fact that I´m back and I´m with Quinlan has nothing to do with you either! Leave me alone!”_

_Siri´s eyes are suddenly wet, stinging with tears that are not allowed to fall. With pride that it´s being exposed bare and humiliated._

_“I have nothing to do with you!” the red-haired girl reminds her again._

_“Yes you do!” Siri tells her, bursting with anger._

_“Then tell me why?!”_

_“Because I love you!”_

_The angry girl stops all of a sudden. Grey eyes open wide with fear, pushed aback with the force of the confession. She looks more than scared and confused._

_Siri launches forward, not standing her own words and grabs the girl by her shoulders, pressing her chapped lips to the red-haired girl ones, taking the breath out of her lungs._

_The scared girl pushes her away almost immediately._

_“Siri… you…” she gasps, touching her lips._

_Siri is crying now, accepting the gesture as it is. She doesn´t need the other girl to confirm anything to her, she already knows what she is going to get: a rejection. So, the blond girl´s mind lashed into what it must be true instead, the face of that older, dark looking boy that the girl she loves seems to favor much more than her._

_“This is your fault!” Siri exclaims. Rubbing her lips with her fist, as if wishing to take her kiss back, take away the taste of glorious love she felt and now lost._

_The red-haired girl scrambles back, hitting the wall behind her, and absently hearing the pulling of the rocks blocking the entrance of the cave._

_“You did this to me!” Siri screams._

_Light starts filling the cave as the rocks are being removed. The grey-eyed girl can hear the voices of her Master calling her name, asking if she was all right. But her eyes cannot be removed from the figure before her._

_Siri´s red face screaming at her._

_“How could you pick him, Obi-Wan?!_

_The girl, Obi-Wan, cries too. Almost losing herself into the absurdity of the moment._

_“I´m going to tell them!” Siri threatened, looking at the almost opened entrance. “I´m going to tell them about you and him!”_

_Obi-Wan whimpered before Qui-Gon´s arms pulled her away of the wall._

Anakin awoke with a silent startle. His breathing uneven but quickly getting back to normal, hands softly gripping the sheets beneath his palms.

His face was serious, firm and emotionless. It didn´t surprise him to be able to see such images of the past. He was very well used to nightmares and dreams, but it was something else to get someone else´s nightmares for a change.

His head turned to look at the figure beside him. Obi-Wan was lying there, deep into her sleep.

Their ship has landed into a Republic flagship´s hangar earlier that day, the troops had taken care of the code breaker device that it has cost Siri Tachi´s life and half of Obi-Wan´s sanity; the staff members of the crew had showed them to three rooms prepared for their use until they reached Coruscant.

Anakin thought that he was meant to sleep alone again, but Obi-Wan had surprised him with sneaking into his room when Padmé was already sleep in her own bed and he was getting ready to do just the same.

Anakin frowned at the sight of his wife taking charge of the situation without Anakin having to push her into temptation, but the Padawan wouldn´t lie saying he didn´t like the change of things. The woman had laid on his bed and fell asleep shortly after.

And now he stared at her with devoted eyes.

He didn´t know if he should tell her of what he knew. Of the memories that Siri had granted him before she had passed away.

When the blond Knight had taken his hand instead of his Master´s right before her death, Anakin could saw it all in a flash of a moment. The words, the secrets, the unfulfilled emotions. How much Siri loved his wife. How Obi-Wan had refused her.

 _“Take care of her”_ She had said to him. She had smiled at him and trusted he would do just so.

Anakin knew in that moment that Siri knew too. That just like Aubrie, she had figured out how he felt about Obi-Wan, probably because Siri herself felt that way towards her as well.

Anakin´s blue eyes turned to look at Obi-Wan´s sleeping form. Looking at the woman who had stolen so many hearts without even knowing.

“I love you” Anakin said with a commitment bigger than Siri´s has been, for he will never be refused. With a conviction bigger than Quinlan´s has been, for he knew that he was never going to be abandoned. He would make sure of it. “I always will.”

 


	11. Clone Wars: Devotion (Part 5)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Explicit Sexual Content in this Chapter. ;)

Obi-Wan and Anakin had arrived only some hours ago; the sight of the Temple that had so easily brought her joy every time she returned from a mission, it now filled her with an almost crippling melancholy.

The minute she set foot on the hangar´s floor, she could feel the emotional exhaustion of the past days taking over her body; Siri´s death was palpable, and the idea of facing her brothers and sisters to let them know that they have lost one of their own again in this blasted war filled her with sadness. It was getting old, all of this; every day more and more news of deaths of Jedi coming in, the Republic losing some planets and gaining others, the prices the war has obligated them to take against their better judgment, against their own ideals. It was all wrong.

Anakin had escorted Padmé back to her apartment and Obi-Wan had taken the task to deliver Siri´s body safety so the healers could prepare it for the cremation ceremony; and exhausted as she was, Obi-Wan resigned herself to do the last act of duty of this mission: report to the Council.

She dragged her feet through the corridors, those being almost as empty as she felt. Once she reached the Council´s chambers, she was met with the strange surprised of the entirety of the Masters being there, well seated and staring back at her with an interested gleamed on their eyes.

Obi-Wan frowned without second thoughts, after all, most of them were supposed to be on the battlefield.

Master Windu started the report asking her question regarding the success of the mission, and Obi-Wan made an effort to recount the facts and details she deemed important, even Siri´s death. They all seemed to grow and shadowed look on their faces at the mention of the Knight´s loss; the red-haired Knight felt almost relieved that not even this grimy war has taken their sense of compassion and love for each other´s lives.

“Well, if that is all, Masters…” Obi-Wan bowed with a serene expression, ready to walk away and hide into the confines of her quarters.

“As a matter of fact, Obi-Wan, there is something else we wish to discuss…” Master Windu interrupts, voice serious although apparently not upset.

Obi-Wan didn´t say anything, only stopped herself on her tracks, turning back to face the Jedi Master with an enquiring look.

“Maybe you wonder why the entirety of the Council stays here today, instead of remaining in out out-world posts…” Mace explained.

Obi-Wan nodded slightly, not sure where he was going with this.

 “Well…” he said, moving slightly on his seat “…unfortunately we have found ourselves with a free vacant on out Council…”

Obi-Wan´s brow raised in a confused manner, and she followed the dark eyes of the Master that pointed to an empty seat to her left side. And, as Windu just said, an empty chair laid abandoned besides Master Tinn´s place.

“…For various reasons, the Master who occupied the position is unable to perform her duties by the moment, so that has left a free vacant between our lines…”

Obi-Wan didn´t dare to say anything, still struggling with the idea to follow the conversation and to force her sleepy mind into understanding every word that the Vaapad Master was saying.

“We discussed the issue and we have come to a conclusion that it is necessary for that vacant to be filled with an experienced and wise addition that could help us and guide us in this dark times…”

“Master Windu, what are you trying to say?”

The man just stared at her with his powerful dark orbs, as if trying to explain her everything just by the strength of his stare.

“You are the most experienced and accomplished Jedi within our Order, Master Kenobi” the soft voice of Master Mundi told her, a strange look of pride and excitement on his golden eyes.

“You are the only one of us, in fact, that has battled and defeated a Sith. Your resilience, mastery of the classical forms and accomplishments on the battlefield speak for themselves.” Master Koon intercepted.

Obi-Wan knew where this was going, in the back of her mind she could just hear the words herself, but the whole idea of it seemed so surreal that she wouldn´t dare to even accept the possibility.

“By the will of the Council” Master Yoda´s voice, the most important one of them all, announced to her “deemed just and wise, to appoint you as a Master and member of the Council.” He sentenced.

Obi-Wan breathed deep and bit her lip the way that she always did when something was out of her depth. And this unexpected occasion, was surely the most bizarre experience that she could have dreamed of when she landed back home.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Anakin just made it back to the apartments; he entertained himself with Padmé when he took her back to her home, talking and enjoying each other´s company as usual. He wanted to be away from the Temple at least a little while, distract himself from the heavy atmosphere that he carried with him after finishing a mission. The young man from Tatooine seemed to find himself more and more on edge as the time went by in this war; coming back home, as reassuring as it was, since it meant peace and rest, it also meant the lack of the thrill of the battle and it felt like a sudden shower of cold water on his heated skin. The war was terrible, but it pounded his veins with adrenaline and made him get used to living in a rush of emotions and a constant rhythm of conflict; here, where things were quiet and slow, he only finds himself restless.

By the time he opened the door of his quarters he found nothing but an empty room. He frowned at the lonely place and walked to the kitchen, expecting to find Obi-Wan either eating or preparing something to eat, but the place was equally empty.

With a slight tug at their bond, Anakin sensed that Obi-Wan was indeed inside their apartment, which only meant she was inside her bedroom.

The young Padawan walked until he got inside the spacious room but again, he didn´t spot any sign of his Master. Anakin frowned but the sound of water running on the fresher adjacent to the bedroom gave him the answer to his question.

Smiling, the blond Jedi reached for the slightly opened door and step in.

For all his early confidence, he wasn´t ready for the sight he found once inside the room.

Obi-Wan was always careful and discreet with her appearance: not a hair out of place, clean ironed robes every day, polished boots on her feet, and she was so strict over how much she allowed the world to see of her that she was almost prudish in her intent.

So the opportunity of seeing the naked form of his wife was the most disconcerting and exciting sight he could have ask for.

For all their time together, the female Jedi had never allowed any extent of scandalous skin to show; even when she was tired and sweaty after sessions of training, not even in the hottest of planets that they have encounter themselves on. The woman always wore layers and layers of clothing that left all the work for Anakin´s mind to imagine.

Now, that spell was finally broken. She was right there, carelessly washing herself without closing the shower´s door, as if she was inviting him to see. Her hair looked even redder with the great amounts of water trailing down of it, sticking the mane to her sweet soft skin.

Anakin felt suddenly hotter and constricted by his own clothes.

After watching her curves, long legs, and best and worst of all: her backside. Anakin reminded that she probably didn´t know he was there, staring at her. That this probably wasn´t a public show, not even for the likes of him. So, he obligated himself to step back and out of the bedroom and rush quickly into his old quarters.

There, closing the door, he got into his own bathroom. Making sure this door was locked and secured.

His skin felt hot and his robes oppressive. His face was flushed red and he almost looked like a little fourteen year old that it has only experienced his first detailed wet dream. It was ridiculous.

With fast moves he got rid of his clothes. Dispatching every layer and every article that was on him at the moment, ignoring where they were thrown on the floor. Once free, he got into his own shower and started the system for a cool bath.

He tried to concentrate on cleaning himself, he really did, not wanting to give in to what his mind and his body demanded. He wanted to focus in the feeling of the cold water grazing his body but the sole sensation only heightened what he already knew he craved.

He has done it so many times before, it was silly that he found it to be inappropriate right now. Every nerve in his body was attentive and hyperaware of his burning need, of how much he wanted to touch and feel. He mewl at his failure to clear his mind from the sinful thoughts. It was almost pathetic.

Giving up, he extended his flesh hand down, curled his hand just the right way and grasped his proud and painful erection.

He pulled and drag his fist over it, feeling the texture of his own skin, almost whimpering at the delicious contact of the primitive act.

He was lost, so lost. Placing his forehead to the cold tiles of the walls, begging for mercy and picturing the image that he just saw inside Obi-Wan´s fresher. The wet skin, the every curve of the body that he was meant to touch but that he wasn´t allowed to for the moment. The thing he craved and that was missing in their relationship.

It was maddening.

Anakin imagined himself walking into the fresher instead of walking away as he did. Taking his clothes off without his wife noticing, getting behind her inside the shower, embracing her by the waist and kissing her shoulder in a seductive manner.

He imagined pulling at her red hair and making her gasp, placing his hands on the breasts he had imagined many times on his dreams and never once seen. Big? Small? It didn´t matter. They were perfect. He imagined kissing her breathless, allowing his hand to travel down to her center, rubbing at her nub slowly and torturously, hearing her moan and beg for more.

Oh, her voice. That breathy voice that was so similar and so different at the one he has heard when she gasped for breath after a long run, after screaming orders on the battlefield. That voice screaming his name.

The movements on his cock speeded, pulling at the foreskin of the tip and moaning out loud at the sensation. Using his other hand to cup and roll his testicles, feeling them hard and full.

“Force…”

Anakin´s fantasy continued.

He could see pulling her down on her knees, watching taking him in his mouth, staring at the pink lips caressing the same skin that his hand now played with. Her tongue curling around his girth, which, without intention of bragging, was quite impressive. He would move his hips, fuck her mouth with a pace that would go faster and faster until she gagged but never stop.

“Fuck, don´t stop… you´re so good” Anakin whispered, imagining her grey eyes staring up at him while he made her take it.

Anakin has had oral sex before; he allowed himself to enjoy his body and to experiment with other people even when he was young and still completely in love with his Master. His teenage years had come alongside with the usual sexual tension and need of discovery, but it had never gotten further than that. Whatever he did never went farther than the occasional blowjob or a warm hand rubbing his cock. It was simply because no matter how experienced and good the person touching him was; they were not Obi-Wan.

It was not right to share his real first time with someone who he didn´t love. And since marrying Obi-Wan he had stopped all together, after all, he now belonged by his wife´s side.

His unfulfilled libido now came back to haunt him like a predator, requesting to be satiated.

Sent back to reality, Anakin quickened the pace of his hand on his length, puffing hot air and shaking with the intense pleasure running up and down his spine.

His vivid dream evolved from just the image of his wife on her knees to her against the wall. He carrying her legs, parting them and locking them behind the small of his back. His big, painful erection brushing her untouched cunt. It made him almost spill at the thought of she being a virgin.

“Anakin…” she begged, whimpering and grasping at his shoulders, tugging at his braid.

Anakin smiled.

“Yes, dear?”

“Fuck me…”

And he did.

His long cock pushed against her opening until something tried to stop him, with a strong push he stubbornly managed to break through the resistance and a painful moan came out of Obi-Wan´s mouth followed by the sight of his lover biting her lips trying to handle the obvious ache between her legs.

“Shhh, shhh…” Anakin whispered, kissing her hair and stopping all together, allowing her body to adjust.

Obi-Wan seemed to calm down after a couple of seconds and quickly placed her head on his neck. Anakin smiled tenderly at the tender seek for comfort.

The male Jedi kissed her pretty head and felt her tense hands relax on his back and shoulders.

“May I?” he asked, sensing her pain was gone.

After a couple of seconds, she nodded.

Anakin started moving his hips. Slow, first; allowing her to feel and grow accustomed to the sensation. She didn´t seem to complain so he quickly accelerated the rhythm, feeling his own need to move and shift.

Anakin was ready for the promised pleasure that came with the act of love making but he wasn´t prepared for the tightness of his wife´s walls. They trapped his cock and pulled at the skin with a hot wet embrace, milking him and almost sending him into an early climax. His eyes rolled at the back of his head at the pure sensation and the sudden moans of pleasure that he heard coming from Obi-Wan´s lips encouraging him greatly.

One of his hands, reached down to her clit, trying to add up to the experience that Obi-Wan was feeling; grinning when it he felt her shudder. The female Jedi whimpered and pulled her head back, presenting her neck to his hungry mouth.

Anakin accelerated the movements, chasing something, a race up to somewhere neither he nor she knew where it was but that they wanted to reach together either way.

The young Jedi could feel himself close to that peak, but didn´t want to get there unless Obi-Wan did first. So he redoubled his efforts on his caresses, fucking faster, hitting that spot inside of her that would surely make her see stars.

Obi-Wan´s gasps grew louder and louder, her nails scratching his back, asking for more and desperate for not knowing what it was.

With some fast deep pumps, Obi-Wan was there. She shouted loud and clear, moaning his name between her wails. Anakin smiled against the skin of his shoulder and allowed his hips to pound faster and faster, now only caring for his own explosion.

Once he found it, accompanied with the movements of the walls of his wife´s perfect cunt, he closed his eyes and saw only white.

“Fuck!”

Anakin snapped from his daydream only to feel his cock pulsate and ejaculate against the wall of the shower. White ropes of come painting the tiles and being washed by the cool water falling over his body.

His breath was ragged and his dick, still spamming and dropping goblets of come, sent tingles up and down his spine, making him moan and groan in appreciation.

His hands, mechanic and flesh, were placed on the wall, looking for leverage, for something to grip and finding nothing.

After the magnificent orgasm that he just had, Anakin wonder if he was more satisfied than ever or even more frustrated than before.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Obi-Wan was staring at Siri´s dead body, covered by a fine white sheet while she was lowered down into the crypt to be cremated as the Jedi tradition was.

_Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter._

Obi-Wan remembered well her lessons, although they didn´t give her much comfort at the moment. After the solemn act, the female Jedi walked out of the room, followed by other fellow Jedi that had come to say goodbye to their sister.

Last night, she had gone to sleep after a soothing shower and was almost half-prepared to be assaulted by the nightmares that the Force seemed so willing to show her, but they never came. She slept through the night like the old times, when there was no war and no dead friends´ funerals to attend.

With a small smile of hope, she walked through the halls and guided herself to a Meditation chamber, seeking to deepen her connection with the Force and to free herself from the sadness that had overcame her these last days.

Anakin and Quinlan were right, it was not healthy not to deal with things, or confusing ignoring something with solving it; she had allowed her emotions to fill her senses and had cried and talked about it, if not with somebody else, with herself. But now that Siri has been properly grieved and laid to rest, she had to move on. She had to continue being a Jedi. And, worst of all, being a newly appointed Master.

The galaxy needed her wise and ready.

When she got into the familiar rooms, smiling to the few Jedi and youngling she managed to pass by while selecting a lonely room to meditate, she chose a mat on the floor and crossed her legs, taking a comfortable position and with a deep breath, she submerged herself into the Force.

She wasn´t sure how much time passed while meditating, when a Jed got lost into the mystical presence of the universe hours could pass and the sun could move from one extreme to the other on the blue sky and the Jedi wouldn´t even notice. But, however many hours had transpired inside that room, she could said she felt infinitely cleaner.

The Force has purged her soul of the aching burn that the sudden death of her friend had left; it had filled her with a sea of thoughts and serenity that now took the place of the grief that previously flooded her.

With a sigh she opened her eyes only to stare at the peaceful form of Bail Organa seated in front of her and smiling shyly back at her.

“Senator Organa…?” Obi-Wan gasped, surprised.

“Oh, I´m sorry” The Senator laughed, apparently realizing the oddity of the situation. “I came by and Master Skywalker told me you were busy meditating here, that I was free to wait until you were finished. I didn´t mean to startle you.”

Obi-Wan blinked a couple of times, not even trying to hide her confusion.

“You haven´t been waiting long, I hope.”

Bail shook his head. “Not at all.”

Obi-Wan stood up from her place and straightened her robes. Senator Organa followed suit and started walking beside her.

“So, what was so important that you have to see me, Senator?” Obi-Wan asked, formality dripping on her tone.

“Well, I was just informed of your new status within the Order” Bail let her know.

Obi-Wan looked at him from the corner of her eyes, feeling strangely uncomfortable with people knowing about her promotion.

“Yes?”

“The Chancellor and the Senate had ordered to Kamino a new batch of clones; I don´t know if you are familiar with that information.”

“Not at all. I just arrived from a mission yesterday.” Obi-Wan informed him, taking some papers that the Senator was offering.

“Well, some of us insisted in putting more efforts in diplomatic solutions, but the Chancellor seemed inclined to listen to a more -how should I say it?- conflictive approach…”

Obi-Wan looked at him with a confused eyes.

“And this has to do with me because…?” She stopped at a pillar in one of the many corridors where the light of the gardens filter in, letting her now that the sun was setting.

“This new batch of soldiers… they were set with a special training. I think you are familiar with clone trooper ARC Alpha-17?”

“Yes. We worked together in a couple of missions in the past.” Obi-Wan found herself intrigued, she haven´t heard of the clone Commander since they arrived on Coruscant after escaping Ventress´s clutches. “What about him?”

“He was sent to Kamino. He was instructed to train a new legion of special skilled clones that would lead new battalions. The Senate had deemed necessary for the Jedi to be the Generals of these news troops.” Bail explained.

“Generals…” Obi-Wan sighed. They have been involved in the war all these time, they have commanded the troops diligently and lost their lives in the process; the soldiers have taken to refer to them as Generals and bestow military titles out of respect and hierarchy, but nothing had been truly official. Until now.

“You would be expected to receive a new commander and a troop at your disposal.” Bail continued, handing her more papers for her to see the names of every Jedi currently bearer of the rank of Knight or Master listed as Generals.

“Padawans won´t be having that kind of responsibility but they have been talks of naming them ´Commanders´.”

“Jedi are not soldiers…” Obi-Wan almost growled, upset by the thought of having to think about Anakin as a ruthless commander of war and not the peacekeeper diplomat that she had tried hard to shape him into.

Bail lips twisted in a sympathetic manner.

“I tried to argue that the Jedi wouldn´t be comfortable with it. I´m afraid I was over-ruled.”

“Who else went against this?” Obi-Wan questioned.

“Senator Amidala of Naboo, Senator Monthma of Chandrila, Senator Breemu of Humbarine, and some others…” he pointed out.

Obi-Wan sighed.

“So I guess this is the end of an era then…” she lamented.

Bail nodded. “I only wanted to inform you beforehand. You better discuss this with your fellow Jedi.”

The Jedi frowned at the vow of confidence and strange friendliness. Obi-Wan was somewhat famous for her dislike of politicians, and although she knew the man from Alderaan, they weren´t exactly friends.

“Why are you telling me this?” she enquired.

Bail giggled with a deep voice. “Padmé trusts you.”

The female warrior only deepened the frown at the declaration, Bail looked at her as if the words were self-explicatory.

“Well. I think I should go now, Master Kenobi. Thank you for your time.”

Bail started to walk away from her but Obi-Wan felt the need to stop him on his tracks.

“Senator.”

The politician stopped and turned with a gentle smile.

“Why coming to me?” She asks again, this time, coming for a different angle “This information certainly concerns the Council, so why me?”

Bail smiled kindly, looking at Obi-Wan with strange fondness.

“Oh, Master Kenobi. I think I´m talking with the Council right now.” He told her with a wink and then walking away.

Obi-Wan huffed and stared down at the papers in his hands, at the proof that something was broken and that changed for all of them.

Especially to Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Member and Master of the Council.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Anakin was standing outside of the Council Chamber´s doors, they have called for his presence while he was busy tinkering with some ships of the Temple´s hangar; he had picked up the habit after founding that he was too restless and anxious for meditate. After years and years of trying, he had figure out that the best way for him to relax is to repair some machines and droids, and if he didn´t find any of them broken, he could just as well do some maintenance.

When he had received the call of the Council, he had took a quick detour to his quarters to clean himself a bit before making his presence known in the sacred chambers, he didn´t want to antagonize the Masters more than usual.

Before the doors could opened, the familiar and gracious figure of his Master arrived. Long brown robe trailing behind her, making her seemed like a queen of some distant planet. Anakin feel himself blushing at the reminder of last night shower.

“Anakin…” she saluted with a nod.

“Master” he imitated, eyes searching for someone passing by through the corridors. “Did they call you too?”

Obi-Wan seemed to think about it for a while before answering.

“Something like that.”

“Shall we enter then?”

“Did you let Bail Organa into the meditation chambers?” she suddenly asked, taking him by surprise.

Anakin looked around as if trying to sense if she was upset.

“Yes. I knew you were there, so I walk him to the rooms.”

“That´s hardly protocol” she scolded him with a huff.

“He is Padmé´s friend and I figured that if he was trying to talk with you in specific it must have been important.” He tried to explain, rubbing the back of his head.

“Hm” Obi-Wan hummed before the double doors of the chamber opened wide.

Anakin was staring back at numerous members of the Council, all seated on their places, although some of them were missing, probably because of the war. Obi-Wan and Anakin both walked to the center of the room and bowed respectfully.

And in an unexpected motion, Obi-Wan sighed and departed from Anakin´s side to make her way to a Council´s empty seat, getting comfortable on her place.

“What…” Anakin mouthed at Obi-Wan, not understanding why she just took a sit as if she owned the place. But his Master only shook her head slowly, letting him now that she would explain later.

“Skywalker…” Master Windu started.

Anakin turned to stare at him with enquiring eyes.

“We have a mission for you.”

His tone was flat and decisive, but Anakin could see some discomfort in the features of his face. As if he wasn´t convinced of what he was doing.

“Yes, Master…” Anakin said.

“This time, you will be in your own. Master Kenobi will not be there to help you.”

Anakin frowned and turned to look at his Master. Obi-Wan was seated there, inhaling some air at the mention of the mission and closing her eyes with heaviness. As if she was upset by the information and taken by surprise by it.

“You are the best pilot we have, which makes you fit for taking charge on this mission. You will now possess the rank of Jedi Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, you shall lead this mission and you will accompanied by a fleet of clone troopers at your disposal.”

Anakin could hardly contain his excitement, forgetting all of his previous confusion. Now, he could only feel proud by the possibility of being finally recognized by the Council in such a way.

“We need you to fight against the Separatist fleet that are currently holding Muunilinst. Other Jedi will take charge on the planet. We just need you to free the orbit of the planet so the army can land and continue the fight on the ground.”

“Yes, Master.” He replied with a firm commanding voice.

“After that” Master Windu continue “you shall report to the Council and we will send you with Master Mundi´s division. You shall help him and his Padawan with some other missions.”

As proud as Anakin had felt just some minutes ago, he know stood disconcerted. Switching his eyes to Master WIndu´s serious features and his Master´s chair, where Obi-Wan seemed frustrated with the news but pretending to be undisturbed by them.

“That will be all. You leave within the hour.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Council dismissed.” Mace said turning to his partners.

Obi-Wan stood from her place but made no motion to go back to Anakin´s side, only sending a motion with her head for him to go his own way. Anakin frowned at this but did as ordered.

The female Jedi watched him walking away and slip through the door before walking to where Master Windu awaited for her, knowing fully well that the Soresu user wanted to converse with him.

“Obi-Wan…” Mace started.

“On his own?” Obi-Wan asked without pre-amble.

“Yes.” Mace answer without hesitation, walking and opening the door so she could go through first.

“Surely you know I don´t approve of this?” Obi-Wan let him know.

“You were the one that ask for some distance between the two of you…” The Master reminded her with a raised brow.

Both of them started to walk through the corridor, still able to look Anakin´s back walking farther and farther away from them in the distance.

“Yes. But I didn´t ask him to be left on his own.”

“He won´t be. We sent him with Master Mundi.”

“After he alone commands a Republic fleet over Munnilinst.” Obi-Wan mentioned with cynicism.

Mace sighed with exasperation.

“You lack of faith in the boy is disconcerting. He has great skills, surely you can see that.” Mace reprimanded her with a friendly tone. “I was under the impression that you were Skywalker´s champion.”

Obi-Wan almost rolls her eyes at the teasing.

“It´s not his skill what I doubt. But his judgment. He is not prepare for the responsibility.”

“Indeed, he is not.” Mace sentences.

“Then why?” She asks, stopping at the entrance of another corridor, one where some Jedi walked casually.

Mace seems to consider this for a couple of minute, searching for some kind of discretion while being in a public place. Then, with a softer and lower voice he says:

“The Chancellor requested for Anakin to be made a Commander and for him to handle this mission. It was not a Council decision.”

“Well, that is obvious since I wasn´t consulted about any of this…” Obi-Wan told him, a bit taken aback for the Chancellor´s involvement.

“There is nothing we could do about it. All that´s left is for trust in Anakin´s abilities. I would dare say he has grown since the war started.” Mace commented with confidence. Obi-Wan nodded at his kind words, although she couldn´t help but feel worried about the situation.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Anakin was inside the hangar of the Temple, ready to take the small transportation vessel that was going to take him and his starship to the Republic´s Grand Army´s airport, where he would take a cruiser containing the troops that he was going to command.

He was only making some last fixes to his ship before taking off when a familiar shadow appeared. Anakin grinned at the sight of it, knowing exactly who it was.

Standing up, he turned on his heels to face Obi-Wan, when he found Aubrie Wyn instead.

Anakin seemed startled by the presence of the young Padawan. Her short hair had grew a bit and was now held up by a small ponytail. And Anakin could see that a new small bid was added to her Padawan braid.

“Aubrie…”

“Anakin…”

“Is there something you needed?” Anakin asked, suddenly too aware of the strange situation between them. The male Jedi was still somewhat upset with the female apprentice and how she had managed to intimidate Obi-Wan in such a way. Anakin clenched his fist, trying to ease down his sudden fury, knowing that he ought to control himself.

“I heard by Master Obi-Wan that you were leaving on an extended mission” Aubrie told him. She didn´t seem smug or particularly happy about it, but that didn´t lessen Anakin´s suspicious or resentment.

“Yes. I´m going to take charge of a fleet and then I will assist Master Mundi.”

Aubrie nodded with apprehension, apparently unsure of what to say next.

“It had been a while since we saw each other. I didn´t want you to leave without speaking with you.” Aubrie explained.

“Well, you have…” Anakin almost growled, incapable of being a little bit rude.

“I heard about Master Tachi too.” Aubrie continued, ignoring Anakin´s slight.

The male Padawan narrowed his eyes at that.

“I know she was close with our Master…” she said. Anakin took a deep breath when she dared to call Obi-Wan ´their´ Master.

“I just wanted to talk to you before you went away, mostly because we don´t know if we are ever going to make it back…” Aubrie muttered. Smiling a little with sadness.

“You think I am going to die?” Anakin asked, insulted.

“That was not what I said” Aubrie corrected him with a look, apparently now intimidated by Anakin constant disregard. “I know we are in an awkward position right now, and you seemed a bit upset by the fact that Master Obi-Wan has taken me under her care. I just wanted to tell you that I don´t want to take your place.”

Anakin stood silent, a little bit put off by the conversation.

“Anyway…” Aubrie stumble between words, sensing Anakin´s intransigence on the topic. “I wanted to give you this…” she declares.

Anakin´s eyes traveled down to her extended hand and finds himself looking at Aburie´s lightsaber.

“That is your saber…” Anakin points out to her.

“Yes. I want you to take it with you.”

Anakin raises one of his eyebrows, surprised.

“I know you have your own, but I wanted to give you this, in an act of peacemaking.” She told him, letting him know that she wanted to go back to the smooth relationship they used to have before she stumble on his little secret and almost drove his marriage with Obi-Wan sour.

“Are you not going to need this?” Anakin asked, touching the hilt with his human fingers.

Aubrie shook her head and shrugged.

“I´m Temple bound until my training with Master Windu is done. Master Obi-Wan and I decided to train together as well, just so we can synchronize each other better before we are assigned missions the three of us all together…”

Anakin looked at her with questioning eyes.

“I can use a training saber, I don´t need mine.” Aubrie finished.

Anakin took the saber with both of his hands, examining the silver hilt with care. The design wasn´t all that different from his, and the grip was firm and comfortable. Anakin knew the blade to be blue, the color of his and Obi-Wan´s own saber. The girl fit very well in their team.

The blond Commander could see Aubrie biting her lower lips nervously, hands fumbling in fists. He could sense that the young woman really wanted Anakin to take her up her offer. He knew what this meant.

´Concordance of Fealty´ it was called. He had read about it in the Archives once when he was young. It was an old tradition of the Jedi of entrusting one´s lightsaber to a fellow member of the Order. It was a demonstration of trust and friendship. Like a brotherhood. Of course, the act was not complete unless Anakin gave his lightsaber to Aubrie´s hand, but the woman didn´t seem to expect not request for him to do so. She was not hoping for him to be cordial enough to agree to the gesture.

If this was Aubrie´s way of saying she was sorry, it was damn convincing.

“I will take it with me.” Anakin told her, brushing his anger away.

Aubrie´s amber eyes snapped up at the sound of his voice and then she smiled when he did.

“Thank you” she said with a bow. “I will see you when you make it back.”

Anakin nodded.

His new sister started to walk away with a much more relaxed posture. Anakin stared at the saber on his hand, the foreign and equally familiar feeling of the metal on the palm of his hand.

“Aubrie!” he called.

The woman stopped and turn with confusion.

Anakin reached to his belt and took his own lightsaber, with a last look to the weapon he threw it at her, smiling when the female Jedi caught it and stared at it with wonder.

“I think you will be needing this.” Anakin grinned.

Aubrie smiled at the gesture and nodded slightly.

“I will be wanting it back” Anakin clarified, clasping Aubrie´s lightsaber on his belt “so you better take good care of it, but if you pretend to beat Obi-Wan on practice, you will need that saber.”

Aubrie laughed at the joke and clasped the saber on her belt, where her own had been just a few minutes ago.

“Take care, brother…” she whispered.

“You too, sister…” he smiled.

The Concordance of Fealty was complete and somewhat the broken circle between them was as well.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Anakin was walking on the airport´s corridor, ready to get inside the Cruiser that will take him into his first solo mission. He grinned when some clone troopers passed by and bowed their heads respectfully.

“Sir” they said.

“Let´s do this, guys…” Anakin smiled, proud and eager to prove himself.

“Yes, sir!” They saluted, voices firm through their helmets. Then, they rushed down and into the Cruiser.

When Anakin was all but ready to get down the ramp that connected with a side door of the Cruiser, a pair of firm hands dragged him into a dark corner of the corridor, away for the light and peering eyes.

Anakin gasped and almost reached for his lightsaber when the smaller hands let him go and took off the hood obscuring the face of his captor.

There, with perfect stormy orbs and undeniable beauty, Obi-Wan stood in front of him with pink lips and wishful eyes.

Anakin quickly, and in pure impulse, surround his wife´s waist and pulled her flush against him. Taking her lips on his and making her whimper with surprise.

“Anakin…” she gasped when she pushed him away.

“I thought I wouldn´t see you” Anakin whispered, caressing her face.

“You´ve been avoiding me” Obi-Wan accused him with a raised eyebrow.

Anakin blushed. He had been a bit reserved this two days, yes. More so because he was embarrassed by the dirty thoughts he had every time he thought of his lovely wife or when he actually got to see her, walking graciously around and about the Temple.

“You´ve been doing the same” Anakin corrected her “besides I thought you needed space after Siri…”

“I thought so too…” Obi-Wan nodded, caressing his face in the same loving way that he was doing. “…but so many things have happen in these two days, I didn´t have time to tell you anything.”

“Oh, really?” Anakin mocked. “Like you seating in the Council and not telling me?”

Obi-Wan buffed.

“They have made me a Master and a Member of the Council.” The female Jedi told him, rolling her eyes as if the information wasn´t important.

“And you are letting me know now!?” Anakin shouted alarmed, half upset and half incredulous.

“Yes. Because we have both being silly and not even dared to talk for five minutes. There, I´m apologizing.”

“Very badly, Master.” Anakin told her.

“I didn´t want you to go. But I knew it would happen, just not like these…”

“Knew about this?” he asked, confused.

“I requested the Council to separate us for a short while.” Obi-Wan explained as if it was the most logical thing in the world.

Anakin´s eyes widened, offended and feeling as if the woman in front of him had just slapped him.

“You did what?!”

“Hey…” she calmed him, stroking his face “not because I wanted to. It was necessary.”

“Necessary how?!” he whispered roughly.

Obi-Wan closed her eyes, seeking for patience within herself.

“Aubrie.” She told him.

Anakin frowned and seemed to calm down at the mention of the woman.

“What about her?”

“When she came to me, telling me about her concerns about your true feelings, she did so in hopes that I could find a way to fix it.” She told him. “This is me taking measures, at least in her eyes.”

Anakin inclined his head and almost unconsciously reached for the saber that now hanged from his belt. Suddenly feeling the weight of it as if it was heavy.

“We have to be more careful from now on. We have to leave our feelings and marriage in the privacy of our quarters. No more hushed declarations of love on the corridors or exploding tantrums in the gardens, you understand?” She lets him know, raising a finger up at him.

Anakin rolls his eyes at the angry words but nods anyway.

“She will think that the distance will put some end to your feelings and that will be the end of it.”

“And if it doesn´t?” He grins with an evil gleam in his eyes. “What if I come back and I love you even more?”

Obi-Wan snorted at the pathetic display of flirtation.

“Don´t be silly.”

“You love when I´m being silly. Admit it.” Anakin says, kissing her cheeks and her face.

“If I didn´t I wouldn´t love you at all. You are silly all the time.”

“You are breaking my heart.”

“You are taking half of mine with you…” Obi-Wan confesses with a breathy whisper.

Anakin stops his playful assault and stares at his wife with pure untamed devotion. His heart beating faster and faster against his chest.

“Say it, then…” he requests.

Obi-Wan looks at him with her own calmed and soothing warm. Not the ferocious passion that Anakin displays with his promises and his caresses but not a less honest or a vacant love.

“I love you.” She promises.

Anakin kisses her in the mouth, taking her lips in a swift storm of emotions and Obi-Wan allows him to devour her with the plump lips that she loves so much. The female Jedi separates only because a sudden alarm of the Cruiser resonates closer to them, telling them that they don´t have more time for goodbyes.

“You come back to me, do you understand?” Obi-Wan request, allowing the weakness inside of her to transpire. Her insecurities, her fears, her devotion.

“Always.”

Anakin dropped her waist and smile for the last time, ready to part, he was about to do that, when Obi-Wan grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

The young man stopped and looked at his Master with confusion.

“Anakin…” Obi-Wan whispered, biting her lip and Anakin frowned at the sight “…I married you because someone else convinced me to do so…” she told him.

Anakin gulped and grew still.

“…I´m staying because I want to stay.” She finished. Stroking the skin of his flesh hand.

Anakin relaxed and look as if he was about to cry, but instead of that, he sobered up quickly and came closer to her back again, grazing their noses together, mixing their breaths with each other’s.

“The man you married didn´t deserve you, I know that now…” Anakin told her, giving a quick peck on her pink lips. “I will spend the rest of my life trying to pay you back for settling with that.”

Obi-Wan shook her head.

“You don´t need to pay anything…you are not unworthy…”

“No. I haven´t earn this right.” He declared, kissing her again just to prove his point. “But I have a lifetime to do so. I will come back, and I will be better. Much, much better.”

Obi-Wan shook her head again but didn´t said anything, only closed her eyes.

The alarmed sounded again. The crew probably looking for their missing Commander this time around.

“Go.” Obi-Wan ordered. “Go, fight, win and come back to me, where you belong.”

He grinned. Kissed her for last time and rushed away and into another adventure, although this time, on his own.

Obi-Wan laid hear head on the wall of the corner, smiling at the sight of her love going away from her touch. This time, she knew what she was doing. No more doubts, no more second guessing, no more hesitations.

This was what she chose. This was what she wanted. And she won´t allow her insecurities, her fears, her enemies, not even herself to take this man away from her.

“I love you…” She vowed and turned.

 

 


	12. Clone Wars: Devotion (part 6)

She has been seating in the same spot for what it has been hours, contemplating the stars in the night sky; a sight she has seen many times before. Even through the busy lights of Coruscant and the artificial controlled atmosphere the planet lived under, it was still beautiful to her: the shining speckles in the infinity of the darkness; and although she has seen better versions of this very same scenery in front of her, with a million more stars dancing through the black canvas of the sky, with different colors and nebulas blinding her grey eyes, this exact view was the one that her heart yearned after every time she was away in a distant planet, in the middle of another important mission, in the heart of a different system. Her soul would continue to grow restless until she got to see the Coruscanti night sky again.

The melancholy of the setting was only compared by the loneliness that had absorbed her the minute her other half had gone away from her. She could spare some minutes of her own time to drive her mind away from the aching of her own heart with Council meetings, training sessions with her new Padawan, private queries with the Republic´s Senators and revisions of plans and strategies that needed her approval behind them. All those things kept her occupied enough for her to ignore the emptiness of her rooms, the visible missing piece on her day-to-day that she has never felt so strongly before until now. Like a missing limb or a failing lung, it demanded attention and pain, but all she could offer to herself was a rational explanation and an excuse that never came close to a real cure for her malady.

She spent the days traveling through halls, talking sweetly to politicians and setting her mind to tasks of both diplomacy and war, but the nights… the nights belonged only to him.

That was the reason behind her presence at the edge of the window, staring at the night sky as if it would provide some answers to unasked questions. Her eyes seeking everything and nothing at the same time, waiting for someone that it wouldn´t show up even if requested.

She had been abandoned before: parents that would give her up for the sake of the galaxy and the will of the Force, a Master that would die in her arms with a last promise on his lips, an ex-lover that would never say the words for fear of setting something in motion that it could never be taken back. She has experienced the breaking of one’s heart and the shattering of long-wished dreams. But this ache, it didn´t feel like an empty void or just a blow to her chest, that suffocating kind that seem to take the breath away from you, but more like a burning fire that laid low, that made a home inside her bowels and that came in waves, filling her with a fire that hurt and cripple the functions of her body but that wasn´t wounding enough to scorch her tissue and her bones all together.

She saved that pain, like she always has. Like a soldier and a warrior should; feeding her soul with the hurt and the encompassing spikes of pain that overcomes her from time to time, knowing that nothing could make her stronger than grief has. She smiles in the daylight and keeps her tears and sorrow for the shadow of the night, where they couldn´t be seen and misunderstood. Where she can feel without the fear of censure.

The only times she allows her eyes to wonder away from their busy agenda of staring at the never-ending space, is to glance at the small device right beside her naked feet. Her com-unit.

Obi-Wan waits for the beeping red light to show up more often than not. But, she stops when she remembers than it´s probably better not to obsess over improbable calls. Still, she can´t stop herself for hoping.

When she catches herself staring more times than she could freely admit, the Jedi allows a terrible sigh to escape her lips and takes the device on her hand, accepting defeat. Pressing a couple of buttons, she manages to activate the small machine to project the last message that it received.

The sudden image of the man who has stolen half her heart, and probably her entire ability to reason, shows up in shaking transparent blue light.

 _“Obi-Wan…”_ the cheerful voice of Anakin can be heard, a small smirk on his mischievous lips. _“Everything is going fine. I´m not hurt, as you can see…”_

The red-haired Jedi smiles at the obvious pride in the Padawan´s words. She has seen this recording before, she knows the exact words and mannerisms that her husband was going to use. Still, it made her shiver with delight.

 _“Master Mundi is very patient with me, although I think he is more exasperated than what he is willing to admit”_ He giggles and Obi-Wan finds herself imitating the sound.

 _“Master A´sharad Hett is also kind…”_ Anakin´s posture grows a bit stiff at this. Obi-Wan lifts an eyebrow at the action; after all, Knight Hett is from Tatooine, just like Anakin. The young Padawan was excited when he first met him when he just came to live at the Temple as a youngling. Hett was something that reminded him of his home.

_“We have been cruising some planets that had requested our help, and we have lost a few of our clones and even some other Jedi, but we have completed the missions as expected.”_

Obi-Wan bites her lip at this. Tracing the lines of Anakin´s face, which even through the inaccurate image of the recording can be seen by her expert eyes, those lines talk of grief, of unspoken regret. Anakin had always been a sensitive boy. He could never reconcile losing friends or allies to the hands of war.

 _“…but we are holding up fine, so, please, do not worry.”_ There is a pause and an unhappy smile before he comes closer, as if shielding his message for possible prying ears _“…I miss you more than I can tell, at night, I dream only of you, of the warmth of our bed and the softness of your skin. I will be there soon, I promise.”_ He comes closer still, with eyes that seemed to be staring right at her own, even when the miles and miles between them were too great even for the strongest of devotions to shortened.

_“…I love you, more than I can truly say.”_

A small grimace that almost looks like a smile and then the message ends.

Obi-Wan grips the device with her thin fingers, half disappointed and half relieved by the words. She knew that Anakin wasn´t done with whatever it was what he was busy doing, but she couldn´t shake the feeling that she should be beside him.

When she sent him away, not by choice but for practical necessity, she thought she could handle the cold space left on the bed, especially after the never-ending problems that came their way white they remained together. It was meant to be a pause, a simple glitch in their promised never-ending happiness, one sacrifice made for the sake of something bigger but the meaning of their vows was still holding them tight together by the trust in each other´s love.

Obi-Wan has ever been so hesitant on admitting that she did love her husband. And, in any other place and position, that would sound completely out of place. But by the laws of her world, of her own creed, saying such a thing out loud was unthinkable.

For a while now, she has played a dangerous game; cheerfully pretending that she could live her passions in secret without changing aspects of her live. That the person that she swore she loved despite the fact that she rarely openly showed it, could hold on to three words only said when they were truly necessary. That vacant dream broke the minute she tasted the bitterness of separation.

As she has once admitted; Obi-Wan knew exactly how it felt to invest one´s heart and get disappointed. She has lost lovers, has been rejected by the words of another and even renounced to some of them out of self-preservation. She didn’t need a lesson in delusions and broken hearts. But Anakin was a force of his own, and Obi-Wan, even driven by her more intense romances in life, has never let herself fall too deep into the rabbit´s hole until then. Now that she has, she found that she couldn´t climb her way out, and, really, she didn´t even want to.

Her relationship with Anakin was far from perfect. Qui-Gon was a much more matured and intellectual man, someone who would never throw a tantrum over some petty jealousy like the young Padawan has done several times now. Quinlan, even with all of his flaws, would go the distance to protect her at the same time he understood her, didn´t demand change nor strong words of devotion like Anakin needed to hear or have. And Satine, that old memory of the past in where she momentarily thought she could found her peace once more, he was so refined and eloquent, matching her interests and defying her convictions, in his place, now Anakin stood, impulsive and awkward, trying to grasp everything with brute force instead of soft well-thought diplomacy like Satine used to do.

Obi-Wan has given in to a man that didn´t even come close to the men of her past. Whereas Obi-Wan should be relieved by that or scared, she had no idea yet. But what she knew, it´s that it has been only Anakin who allowed her senses to leave her, who has overthrown her reason and allowed her desire to take its place, who filled her with what she has denied herself for so long but has always searched in silence. And, right now, that proved to be enough for her.

With a last smile to the dark sky above her, she climbed down from her window and padded barefoot through the floor, walking the corridor that leaded to her bedroom. Maybe there were cold lonely sheets for her inside the quarters, waiting; but there was also the promise of tomorrow, and a tomorrow was one more day closer to see Anakin again.

That look like a good bargain for her.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Aubrie has been diving her time in the Temple between working in the halls of the healing, studying under Master Windu´s tutelage and training with Master Obi-Wan with the objective to learn and to attune her style to hers. She has only finished her shift at the medical ward some minutes ago, she went right back to her quarters to change her robes from the pristine white she wore when she was tending wounded Jedi and sick younglings to the usual light brown and creams fabrics of the traditional Jedi clothing, ready to eat some quick snack and rush to the training rooms where Master Kenobi was surely waiting for her to appear.

The young brown haired Jedi stood in the middle of her kitchen, chewing some energy bar that she has found in a drawer and used her eyes to inspect the place as if she hasn´t lived there for some time now. It was the same rooms she shared with her past Master, they used to be cozy and familiar but now they were a bit cold and lonely. Master Obi-Wan has offered the apartment right in front of hers, saying that it has been unoccupied from some time and that if she felt more comfortable being closer to her, since she has become her new Master, she should take the free space. Aubrie has refused politely, even when Anakin didn´t really express his discontent with her being integrated into his life as his Padawan-sister, she could feel his discomfort with her presence in Obi-Wan´s life.

Before, when Anakin had talked about his Master, Aubrie thought that the young man was awfully attached to the figure of Master Kenobi, but the female Padawan also knew that Anakin was a different kind of breed; even through the vast numbers of exemplars of people within the Order itself. He had been too old when he came in, and considering that his trail of thought being singular and strange was not a surprise for her, at least, not at first. When she got to know him and the reasons behind his antics, things became a bit more complicated than just a difference of upbringings.

Anakin was in love with his Master. And it was not a simple infatuation of the moment, it was a deep, meaningful love that transcended the parameters of what it was permitted and considered a mistake made from inexperience and youth. Anakin was passionate, giving and possessive of the love that he felt. The people that came into his life served a purpose and were claimed, even her, a simple fellow student gained her place into Anakin´s life, and in his mindset she was positioned in a station within it. When fate and the Council decided that she was meant to occupied a much more central and important part in Obi-Wan´s Jedi career, that as her apprentice, Anakin´s views of her were shaken from foundations.

In Anakin´s reasoning, Obi-Wan was his. He has never voiced such a ridiculous and dangerous statement, not publicly at least, but it was obvious in the look of his eyes or the actions and reactions to whatever happened in his Master´s life. Aubrie, who was once a friend and a companion, a character in Anakin´s story, suddenly became an intruder. An unwanted invader. Someone who came to steal and cheat her way into the life of someone who lived in the center of Anakin´s attention.

Aubrie has been so scared and intimidated by this sudden shift in attitude that she has refused a natural invitation, an even welcoming change in her life and has stayed inside the room that held walls and walls of memories of her old life with someone she loved and that it was now departed from this world. Every time she came home, she could remember the sweet words of pride that her old Master used to give her, the smiles and the advices, the casual days she spent by his side, listening to his guidance and practicing his ways. Aubrie was good with change. She knew how to move forward and how to let go of those things that only drove her away of her duties and her potential, something that Anakin didn´t know how to do or didn´t even want to do in the first place. Being confined to this place she loved but that suddenly felt inaccurate and suffocating was unnecessary and oppressive, she should be by her Master´s side, should be spending time with Obi-Wan, getting to know her in every level, not being pushed aside in favor of someone else´s comfort and perceived entitlement.

Standing in the kitchen, Aubrie chances a glance at Anakin´s lightsaber, laying peacefully on the counter, untouched and unused from quite some time now. Anakin has given her permission to wield it, apparently declaring a truce between them that promised a probable positive change in their relationship, but Aubrie has limited herself with training sabers all the time she has been sparring with Obi-Wan, and Master WIndu has lent her a spare one at the absence of her weapon, which didn´t go unnoticed from the Vaapad´s Master curious eyes. Aubrie felt that the blade didn´t belong to her, it screamed Anakin from every angle and it even weighted weirdly on her hand.

But now, staring at the shiny piece of metal, Aubrie couldn´t help to feel called to grip the handle and own it. She has been so afraid of Anakin´s opinion of her, of his volatile feelings and beliefs of ownership that alienate her from the life she was destined to be having right now, there was something powerful in just walking to the only real possession that a Jedi must truly have: his weapon, and taking it for her own.

So, she did.

The brunette walked until she met with the object, her fingers caressing the cold cylinder, her eyes searching for any imperfection. She finally took the handle and felt the power of the crystal inside; it called to her at the same time that it rejected her. Just like it´s owner had. The great pull was there, whispering of how she was a Force-user, and for that, worthy of wielding the might of the crystal it carried, but it also spoke of incompatibility, of a forced relationship of unnatural proportions. The crystal has not chosen her as the correct process of selection demanded, it has been trusted upon her in a human whim.

She thought of letting go of the wayward saber but her stubborn personality, the same one that has pushed her to the limits of her capacity every time that someone has suggested that maybe her expertise only laid in healing wounds and not in the more combative arts of the Jedi, traveled through her mind, asking her to bend this barrier, to overcome her hesitations and to not allowing the nature of a selfish man to contain and stop what she thought it was part of her evolution.

She gripped the handle without remorse, ignoring every warning that the blade sent her way and walked away from her depressing kitchen. She walked out of her apartment, through the empty halls and the crowded ones, bypassed figures and people she knew and only permitted her feet to stop when she reached the exact room where the figure of her Master stood, already accommodating herself and preparing for the session that they agreed to have that day.

Obi-Wan turned at the sound of her boots, smiling warmly at her presence and frowning at the next second at the clear expression of strong-willed defiance that she must have been wearing at the moment.

“Is that…?” she gaped.

“Yes.” Aubrie sentenced, uncaring of the steel of her voice.

“How did you…?” Obi-Wan asked, her face a combination of worry and uncomfortable discontent.

“Anakin gave it to me before leaving. He has mine in turn.”

“Conference of fealty…” The older Jedi realized with a sudden revelation.

“Yes.” She nodded.

There was a pause, it didn´t affect Aubrie´s resolution though; for all of her talk of Anakin´s intransigence in his decisions, including the way he catalogued people as his, Obi-Wan Kenobi could be equally vexing. She had the unnatural proclivity of affection for certain people over others as well, although her demonstration of attachment was less obvious and less vicious in its depth, if the Jedi Master considered them to be dangerous and threatening enough she was willing to let them go, but that decision always came with the sacrifice and forced relent of control of the object in notion, and just like her apprentice, she wasn´t all that good in accepting defeat.

Aubrie, though, wouldn´t permit to be denied, not even for the person in front of her. Not even by the famous Sith-Killer herself. She was meant to wield this weapon the moment Anakin handed it to her. End of story.

“Fine, then.” Obi-Wan conceded with a shrug “… I guess that would be the case.”

Aubrie got in position, taking her usual side of the room, hearing the approving words but knowing that they came with a masked aversion.

Obi-Wan imitated the motion, hand freeing her own weapon from her belt. Her eyes shifting between the blade in Aubrie´s hand and the Padawan´s eyes.

The brunette smiled to herself, finding that the Master was distracted by the sight, it was both good as it was problematic.

Their blue blades clashed and their movements became brutal and swift at the same time without much preamble. They have been wasting their time with training for a while now, only stopping when Obi-Wan had been called to service in diplomatic missions here and there, even sometimes with Aubrie trailing behind, eager to learn of negotiation from the greatest expert there was in the Order. But her body had grown accustomed to the katas and strikes of the person before her too; it has memorized the defensive style that Master Kenobi practiced so well. Aubrie could understand that language as well, since she was cut with the same edge, she favored defensive styles and thrive more with the passive movements than with the ferocity of the battle.

Their match had become so in-sync that they barely touched each other, anticipating the movements with precision, and the room found itself suddenly filled with young initiates that had heard the commotion of the practice, even some Knights and remaining Masters had gotten out of their way to stare at the fight that resembled more a dance than a combat.

Their strikes and attempts started to speed up and to try to finalize the other without killing each other off. Obi-Wan´s Soresu started to dominate her Nimaan, and before she could defend herself, the older Jedi´s hand stretched before her to pull her lightsaber away from her grasp, when the weapon obeyed the call like a traitorous deserter, the red-haired woman turned around and then positioned her blue saber over her neck, stopping just enough to not burn her skin.

Aubrie held her hands up, admitting her surrender, and the furious look of Obi-Wan´s eyes remained even though the battle was over. An explosion of claps and ovations filled the room and made the Jedi Master relax at the reality call.

People was excited and smiled at them and at each other, Obi-Wan shyly bowing to them with humble eyes, Aubrie accepting the gestures with the same reserve.

“Shouldn´t have done that…” Obi-Wan accepted, closing her eyes and shaking her head with embarrassment.

“No harm done, Master.” Aubrie told her, walking to stand next to her while the people continued to make noise around the room.

“It was a bit much” Obi-Wan insisted. “I didn´t mean to look as if I was going to chop your head off…”

“It almost reminded me of that battle… when I was younger.” The brunette said, walking next to the older Jedi until they reached a bench to rest and re-fresh.

Obi-Wan turned to look at her while she gulped some fresh water that was brought by a droid. Eyes curious and suddenly interested.

“There was this tournament, Anakin was fighting against a boy named Ferus, I believe.” Aubrie thought out loud, not even realizing Obi-Wan´s eyes which had widen at the mention of the memory.

“Anakin won. He had slapped the blade from Ferus´s hand with a powerful strike of his lightsaber. You would think that by disarming him he had already finished the battle but he had the nerve to actually put the blade at the boy´s throat.”

While Aubrie seemed uncaring of her telling of the story, Obi-Wan had suddenly paled at the words. The parallelisms between the situations not going unnoticed to the Jedi Master. She had scolded the young Padawan by the unnecessary use of violence and crave for humiliation of his opponent, at that time, only a teenage boy like himself. And now, Obi-Wan, consumed by her own anger at the sight of Anakin´s weapon in other person´s hand had driven her to make the same mistake she so condescendingly scorned him for when Anakin had committed the crime. She, a sound adult and a member of the Council, had no excuse of reckless youth or a hot temper to hide behind.

“You know, Master…” Aubrie called for her attention.

Obi-Wan turned to look at her with urgency. Suddenly feeling thoughtful of her new Padawan´s wishes, trying to erase her shame with attentiveness.

“When Anakin trusted his blade to me before leaving, he told me I was going to need it if I wanted to defeat you.”

Obi-Wan raised her brow, surprised at the admission and at the same time trying not to roll her eyes; that was such an Anakin thing to say.

“He never told me that the blade would be more inclined to obey you than me, though.” Aubrie laughed, disregarding the previous harshness to which she had arrived with. “I´m feeling quite cheated.”

Obi-Wan giggled at well. “That´s what you get for trusting in Anakin´s promises. They never leave anything _good_.”

“I will consider that next time.”

“You should.”

Obi-Wan stood up from the bench and took possession of her long brown cloak, suddenly realizing of the extra weight on her left hand.

Anakin´s lightsaber was still in her custody and she bit her lip at the sight of the remaining piece of her husband left in the Temple. She knew that this object was now Aubrie´s and she had not right on keeping it for herself but the overwhelming need and desire to reclaim the weapon was strong and it made her grip the metal even harder. Aubrie was busy drinking her own water and ignoring the sudden fight of integrity inside Obi-Wan´s mind.

“I think this is yours now” The silver eyed Jedi told her, extending her arm to hand the saber back to its new owner.

Aubrie looked at the offering and smiled, taking it without hesitation.

“I will try to practice until its grip feels natural” the younger Jedi promised.

“See that you do.”

Obi-Wan smiled and started walking away from the apprentice, breathing heavily and smiling to the people who still stood inside the sparing room, too excited to just get on their way and abandon the place.

“Master!”

The red-haired woman stopped at the call and turned to look at her apprentice once again, a light frown on her features.

“I will be taking the apartments in front of yours.” Aubrie declared, finally dissipating the strange shadows that had taken its home inside her amber orbs in the last days.

Obi-Wan raised one of her brows at the surprise of the announcement. But something, the Force more likely, whispered of how right the decision taken by her new apprentice was. The Master, who at the moment still felt shy and ashamed of her previous behavior in battle, smiled with compliance, realizing that she liked the idea just as much.

Obi-Wan nodded and walked away.

Aubrie observed her and smiled in victory. She had lost a match but she had won a battle, the important one at least. And in her mind and heart, that was a good step forward into the future and of the many promises it holds for her to grasp.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Padmé has been visiting Alderaan for a brief period of time, happily distancing herself from the turbulent and difficult world of politics that involved Coruscant most of the time, especially with the war going on. Alderaan, on the other hand, was an ever peaceful planet, filled with people that had no desire for conflict, it was easy to find herself in love with the natural beauty of the place the minute her ship landed on the rich forests and deliciously crafted cities.

Bail had offered her to spend some time there when the recess in the Senate came along, and finding that she had little to do during that resting time, she took the offer almost without hesitation. Padmé quickly realized that she has spent most of her time worrying over things outside of her own control, like the sway of politics, the war itself and, of course, Anakin Skywalker.

The young man had taken residence inside Padmé´s heart the way he did when they just met on Tatooine eleven years ago. Anakin was young, handsome and gifted in several ways, and interestingly enough, he made her laugh more times than Padmé thought anyone could. Yes, he was clearly immature in so many things and sometimes downright emotionally unstable, but the female Senator liked to think that he would eventually grow out of it and besides, Obi-Wan´s magical revival could only be a good thing for the Jedi apprentice.

But all of those things flown out of the window when she got on Alderaani soil; her attention was suddenly taken by both the beauty of her surroundings and the gracious company of her host. Bail was so different from Anakin, who was the other male friend who she was close to, he was cultured and refined, as the prince he was, he had an easy laugh and dark intense eyes, Padmé had to stop several times to remember that the man was married.

It wasn´t as if she was head over heels for Bail Organa, but the male Senator was so elegant and magnetic that Padmé couldn´t help but orbit around him whenever he was close her vicinity.

“Mistress Padmé!” Threepio came running with that stiff but fidgety run he always made.

“Threepio, it´s nice to see you again!” Padmé honestly saluted. “You seem to be in a hurry…”

“Oh, Mistress, we have a visitor!” he informed her, although his voice reminded her more of a whine.

Padmé lifted an eyebrow at the mention of a visitor. She just arrived from Alderaan and she didn´t have any appointments programed for today or the following days.

“Who is it?” she asked.

“A Jedi!” Threepio chimed “I believe her name is Master Kenobi…”

Padmé´s eyes widened at the mention of the name. She hadn´t seen Obi-Wan in a while, and the last time she talked with her at all was when she knew about her surprising survival and escape from Separatist´s clutches. She had been very busy at the time and, contrary to popular belief, Senators and Republic Officials couldn´t just walk into the Jedi Temple so casually.

“What shall we do, Mistress?” the golden droid asked. Padmé could see him getting anxious by the little predicament already and she almost smile for the familiarity of the situation.

“Don´t worry. I will receive her.” Padmé nodded.

The golden robot was a gift of and a favor to Anakin at the same time; the young Padawan asked Padmé to house the droid shortly after what happened on Geonosis. The blond had built the droid from scratch when he was young and now that his mother had passed away, he didn´t like the feeling of leaving the only reminder of his past life behind on Tatooine; although he could not just have it around in the Temple. Padmé had accepted the man´s request of keeping the droid and it had assisted her ever since. When Anakin came around he always tinker with Threepio and tried to see what he could do to improve him or to just give some maintenance, which always made Padmé smile, it was nice to see that part of Anakin that concerned itself with machines as if they were human beings. And in return, Padmé gave her loyal R2D2 to Anakin´s care, since the young Jedi surely needed it much more than she did now.

When she walked into the living room of her apartments, still wearing the simple long dress she used for her travel, she could see Obi-Wan standing by the veranda, looking as pristine and regal as she remember her from before the war. 

Padmé smiled and raised her brows at the difference between the Obi-Wan she last saw and this one in front of her. Her auburn hair was longer and tied up in a style she had never seen her wearing before. She had divided her hair in three sections: the thickest one was braided at top and around her head in a beautiful crafted crown, and the reminded sections were made into individual braids that rested on her shoulders, trailing down until they were reaching her navel. The whole sight was beautiful and it reminded her of the intricate set ups she had to wore when she was a queen.

“It´s nice to see you again, Obi-Wan.”

The Jedi turned at the mention of her name, and although slow to smile, when she finally did, it was in a bright and honest gesture.

“Senator Amidala…”

The female politician stopped and raised her right hand in interruption “Padmé… please.”

Obi-Wan closed her eyes for a moment in amuse and nodded “Padmé…” she rectified.

“What has brought you here?” the Senator continued, inviting her to take a seat with a movement of her hand.

Obi-Wan nodded in appreciation for the offer and took a seat in one of the elegant sittings.

“To be honest, I wanted to discuss some issues with you…”

Padmé raised her eyebrow at this.

“So this is not a social visit?”

Obi-Wan faintly blushed at the question, suddenly ashamed by Padmé´s forwardness.

“I didn´t mean to be rude, Senator…”

Padmé chuckle at the demonstration of embarrassment.

“It´s okay. I just hoped that we could use some time for casual conversation, it has been too long since we last saw each other and after that terrible business on Jabiim I´ve been worried for you…”

“Oh” Obi-Wan gasped “Thank you for your concern, it´s really not necessary. It was… rough, but we are trained to face such situations.”

“Still, torture…” Padmé winced at the sole implication of what it entailed.

Obi-Wan smiled softly and shook her head, resting importance to the whole thing.

“I´m fine now and currently very busy, as a matter of fact.”

Padmé could detect the shift in the conversation; it wasn´t as if Obi-Wan was uncomfortable with the line of talks, although it was probably a factor, as friendly as Padmé has been trying to be every time they met, Obi-Wan always insisted in the veil of formality between them. The Jedi was probably resistant to discuss that type of matters because they were private Jedi business.

“I heard that you have been granted some resting time on Coruscant.”

“Yes. Although I´m greatly needed in the battlefields, the Council deemed important for me to stay behind and take care of some matters before joining the war again.”

In that moment, Threepio entered the room carrying a tray of tea cups and refreshments. Padmé smiled at the frown in Obi-Wan´s face at the sight of the protocol droid.

“Oh, thank you Threepio” Padmé said, taking her cup and food for the offering tray. Obi-Wan imitated her with a strange look on her face.

“Is there anything else you might need, Mistress?” the robotic voice of Threepio asked.

“No, that´s okay. You may leave.”

The droid nodded and went his ways with his clumsy walk.

“This one…” Obi-Wan muttered to herself.

“Oh, you remember C-3PIO?” Padmé asked.

“I don´t remember if I have ever seen it in my entire life. But there is something about it…”

Padmé frowned lightly. “Anakin built him. It was with his mother on Tatooine, but we took him with us after Geonosis. You probably met him during that time…”

Obi-Wan made a funny face at the mention. Padmé was surprised by the fact that the Jedi Knight had forgotten him since Jedi seemed to notice everything but at the same time, she remember how Anakin complained that Obi-Wan had little interest in droids and machines, she was usually contemptuous of them to Anakin´s eternal disappointment.

“That might be it!” Obi-Wan suddenly remember. “That explains why I could feel Anakin´s signature on it…”

“You can do that?” Padmé questioned, taking a sip from her tea.

“Sometimes” Obi-Wan said with dismissiveness.

Padmé tried to size the woman before her. Obi-Wan was both hard and easy to read; she had that distant and formal personality that it made her hard to be approached but she was also polite and kind, smiling softly and talking quietly as if she was fragile when in reality she was a formidable warrior. Padmé knew that the Knight was possibly always uncomfortable in the presence of politicians, at least, Anakin had mentioned such things in passing in some of his visits, saying how his Master always seemed to find some fault in the character of public servants such as herself. It made Padmé both wary and slightly insulted by Obi-Wan´s disregard of her kind.

“Anakin told me you were offered a new Padawan…”

Obi-Wan seemed to be taken out of her trance by Padmé´s words.

“Aubrie Wyn, she is a wonderful Jedi, render Masterless during Jabiim. Anakin and she seem to be good friends, in fact.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. I have taken her under my wing at petition of the Council, I´m currently training her while Anakin is gone.”

“And Anakin is fine with that?” Padmé questioned.

Obi-Wan looked at her with a strange gleam on her eyes, as if sensing discontent.

“He doesn´t seem overly angry about it.” Obi-Wan diplomatically said.

“Are you sure about that?”

The Jedi tensed at the words and implication that the female Senator had made. Padmé could smell the apprehensive atmosphere that had settle around them. The Jedi were usually unwilling to share aspects of their Order or their day to day life, but Padmé was Anakin´s closest friend, and she knew, that the young man wasn´t on board with the idea of sharing his secret wife with someone else; usually, Padmé would hand that to simple and petty jealousy for the man´s part, but she could see why he would be uncomfortable, a new Padawan would mean someone intruding in Obi-Wan´s and Anakin´s already difficult relationship, it would force them to be even more careful than they have been so far.

“Has he told you something?” Obi-Wan said, straightening up and forgetting her cup on the table.

“Not much.” Padmé lied. Anakin had complained about it at length.

“He told me you told convince him he had been behaving like a fool” Obi-Wan said, standing up from her position on the couch, almost letting her long brown rob hug her tall frame.

Padmé could sense that the woman had finally drop the façade of the graceful Jedi Master, right now she was only the woman who had married Anakin Skywalker. Padmé liked to think she enjoy more of the company of this version of Obi-Wan than the other.

“I did” the ex-queen confirmed “He was being silly but that doesn´t mean his concerns are unfounded.”

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at that, resting her body at one of the pillars of the balcony.

Padmé smiled kindly, trying to easy the sudden and unexpected animosity that had raised between them.

“Don´t you think that having someone in the mix of your lives would be a little bit intruding in your relationship?”

“Aubrie is not going to live with us” Obi-Wan defended, resting importance to her complains “Yes, she would be living in the apartment across of ours and yes, she will more likely be accompanying us to missions, but she won´t be with us all the time…”

Padmé twisted her lips, not all convinced.

“Padmé…” Obi-Wan called to her.

The female Senator shifted her eyes to see into the grey pools of Obi-Wan´s orbs.

“I understand your concerns” the Jedi let her know with a severe look on her eyes “but it´s done, there is nothing you or Anakin or even me can do about it. So, Anakin will have to deal with it.”

Padmé twisted her lips in an uncomfortable manner, clearly still disagreeing with what the Jedi Master had claimed. The female Senator took a long look at the other woman in the room and then seemed to relax.

“Well, you said you had some issue to talk with me about, and I don´t think you came all the way here just to discuss Anakin´s behavior, did you?”

Obi-Wan straighten up the minute Padmé mentioned her intended business. “Yes, indeed. I came here to talk about Senator Bail Organa…”

Padmé raised one of her eyebrows at the mention of her friend.

“Bail? What about him?”

Obi-Wan looked at her as if she was inspecting her, and maybe she was. The Jedi´s eyes were suddenly serious and as firm as steel, gone all the signs of emotions and friendly endeavor.

“He came to me some weeks ago. He said that he trusted me with certain information because you did. I just want to know if you commented something to him.”

Obi-Wan´s voice wasn´t menacing or intimidating, she was making an effort to not appear as if she was upset with the young Senator, but her tone and her posture clearly indicated that she was concerned and focused on getting the job done, not on being nice.

Padmé remained quiet for a short while, trying to find the right words to say.

“We have talked about the Order as a whole. I have never suggested anything specific about you to Senator Organa.”

The auburn haired Jedi knew when people lie. She was used to it. There were people so bold as to lie to her face as if she didn´t have the Force to call them on their bantha shit. For that, Obi-Wan knew perfectly well when someone was trying to trick her, from that experience she could tell that Padmé was actually telling the truth. Weird in a politician.

“He gave me some information before it was public knowledge, nothing sensible and the entirety of it concerned the Jedi more than anyone else, so I wouldn´t say he was out of place…” Obi-Wan continued.

“…But?” Padmé inquired.

Obi-Wan almost smirked at the sudden edge on Padmé´s tone, noticing that the politician in her had resurfaced at the feeling of being questioned or challenged.

“This may appear rude to you, Senator, but I have the tendency to not trust politicians…”

Padmé burst into small giggles, covering her mouth with one of her white small hands.

“Anakin definitely gets it from you, then…” Padmé confirms. When she manages to calm down, she reassures Obi-Wan that Bail was a man worthy of trust.

Obi-Wan still twists her lips. 

“Really, Obi-Wan. I know that not trusting politicians in the Jedi´s DNA, but Bail is a good man. I´ve never suggested anything to him that could imply that you would be his political ally on something, but he might have gotten that idea for the way I speak of you…”

“The way you speak of me?”

At this point, Obi-Wan was on the edge of the landing port, ready to get into the speeder that had brought her to the Senator´s apartments, Padmé followed her out with a smile and a reassuring hand on her back.

“Well… I like to think we are friends…” Padmé commented in a soft breath. Obi-Wan blushed slightly at the words.

“Yes, I like to think that too.”

Padmé smiled widely at this, completely joyful and uncaring of anything else.

“As your friend, I admire you. I guess that sometimes when I talk about you with other people that might transpire in the way I speak about you.”

The female Jedi stared at her at the edge of her speeder, meditating the words inside her mind.

“Bail is a close friend. He is good and decent, I might have mentioned you once or twice and he probably thought you were trustworthy.”

Obi-Wan shook her head slowly with a tiny smile on her lips, resting importance to her probably over-reaction to something as small as a Senator trying to quarry favor or just giving information away from actual honest concern.

“But if you like I could question him about it, discreetly of course, nothing too obvious.”

Obi-Wan felt herself startled at this.

“You don´t have to… I know he is your friend…”

“Nonsense, it´s not a problem.” Padmé reassures her.

The Senator´s hand reaches out to one of hers and Obi-Wan finds herself both confused and nervous at the sudden approach. She is not used to be touched, and the only one who she allows such a thing is to Anakin, but he is her husband so that pretty understandable. Padmé, though, it´s a different story.

The brown haired woman´s fingers circle her own long and thin ones, enclosing them in a comfortable grasp of warm skin.

“You need to come back…” Padmé proposes with a smile with white teeth and a slight blush on her cheeks “… next time only to visit, no business.”

Obi-Wan is too surprised to say anything so she only nods before awkwardly giving a slight clench of her trapped hand, with a graceful bow, she finally walks away and into her speeder.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

It has been a couple of months of just waiting and Obi-Wan has been restless, fidgeting with her hands when she was forced to sit down during tedious Council meetings, she couldn´t even concentrate when she meditated, what used to be one of her favorite activities when she had some alone time in the Temple, it now was just a slow torture of wondering what would Anakin be doing at this time in some far-away system. Was he all right? Was he hurt? Did he miss her? Obi-Wan didn´t know when she became that pathetic, remembering how she used to get upset when Anakin acted inpatient and as if he wasn´t capable of just waiting, it now seemed she was the one who couldn´t stay still.

She failed to pay any real attention to the issues discussed at the Council, only giving her fair share of advice when it was specifically ask of her. Obi-Wan had always been able to separate herself from her personal preoccupations, she managed to do it when Qui-Gon had passed away and she was busy being knighted and shoved with a new Padawan to take care of. She had always been able to multitask even at the most problematic of situations, and the thought that she couldn´t do her job as she usually did because her mind was too busy thinking about Anakin Skywalker simply wouldn´t do.

She was now walking through the corridors of the Temple like a ghost, staring at the tall windows waiting to see a landing ship that appeared familiar. Waiting to see the easy smirk that her husband usually wore when he accomplish anything. Waiting for his laughter and his voice.

“Could you be more pathetic?”

The red-haired Jedi turned around to see Quinlan Vos staring up at her with mocking eyes.

“Really, Kenobi, I could feel you mopping from the other side of the Temple…”

“What are you doing here?”

“That´s no way to welcome an old friend…”

Obi-Wan rolled her eyes, abandoning her miserable parade to go back to her usual pretended dislike of whatever Quinlan was saying now.

“You were the one who just called me “pathetic”.

“Well, you certainly look the part” the Kiffar mocked, walking towards her with a relaxed demeanor “You look pale and almost half-dead.”

“I haven´t been sleeping well…”

“Who would have thought that the great Obi-Wan Kenobi was being worn out by the war…” he laughed soundly.

Obi-Wan frowned at the teasing, unamused.

“You are the only one around here that actually thinks that the war is something funny.”

“Really?” Quinlan kept teasing, putting one of his big hands on her shoulder “Seems to me that Temple life has you all tired and anxious.”

Obi-Wan almost flushes, not for embarrassment, but because she is almost grateful for the fact that Quinlan confused her recent behavior with her being restless for being kept from the war than from being kept from her Padawan instead.

“Speaking of which, shouldn´t you be on the front?” Obi-Wan questioned, almost smirking with delight when Quinlan´s cheeks turned slightly red.

“Well, you know me… I´m more suited for espionage and sleuth missions” he grinned back while they walk down the corridor.

“So they have your running around and about?” Obi-Wan asked with a small giggle.

“Someone has to do the dirty work.”

“Oh, I´m sure.”

Quinlan came suddenly to a stop, looking down at her with a weird expression on his face. In Obi-Wan´s experience that was not a good sign but she waited for him to say whatever he felt like it, as usual.

“I heard that they´ve made you a Master of the Council…”

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at that, suddenly remembering that Quinlan wasn´t around during the time she was appointed to the Council. The female Jedi pursed her lips and looked forward.

“Yes, they did.”

Quinlan only dropped a long whistle full of scorn.

“Well, Well, how funny things have turned out” the Kiffar grinned to himself, Obi-Wan glanced at him with a deep frown.

“What´s that supposed to mean?”

“It´s just that your Padawan it´s not even out of the cradle yet and they give you a promotion, how does that work?”

Obi-Wan scoffed.

“You are just jealous that you don’t´ get to be appointed to the Council.”

“Oh, sure. Of course that it. As if I wanted to be seated there night and day listening to Mace Windu bitch about whatever happened during the week…”

Obi-Wan rolled her eyes dramatically “You are so uncivilized...”

Quinlan started laughing out loud and Obi-Wan smiled at the simple gesture of friendly banter. She has missed that; just laughing and enjoy herself with an old friend, since the war, and especially since Anakin´s has gone on his own missions, she has been gloomy and tensed. This was the first time she has enjoyed herself in a long while.

“So, you can laugh…” Quinlan remarked.

“What?” Obi-Wan asked, still giggling silly.

“You haven´t.” he shrugged “… for a while. I´ve been here a couple of days, and you haven´t even noticed me when I passed you in the halls, you looked unhappy.”

Obi-Wan only stared at her old friend as if the man was talking gibberish but before saying something the calming hand of the Kifffar Jedi landed on her shoulder, grounding her, reminding her that she was still here, that someone could see through her armor and not judge her for it.

“I´m on your side” Quinlan told her, whispering, showing her all the love that he had always gave to her since they were children. “If you are not happy, I can´t be either. You know this, don´t hide it from me.”

Obi-Wan felt suddenly overwhelmed she couldn´t quite speak. A first, to someone like her. She wasn´t used to be rendered speechless, but the love she felt coming from the man in front of her made her heart beat faster and her head to swim in unprocessed thoughts.

“Now… follow me.” Quinlan invites.

The tall man takes her by the hand and pulls her through the corridors and down the stairs; Obi-Wan was too surprised, too moved, too dazed to object at the out-of-place treatment. Half her head was fighting surprising tears that were trying to burst out of her eyes and the other was hiding the silly laughter that was contained behind her lips.

When her friend finally stopped, they were in the middle of the Temple´s hangar.

“We are here…” The man announced.

“The hangar?” She questioned, almost insulted, looking around at the clones preparing and landing ships.

Quinlan moved his brows up and down in a mischievous manner.

“You know I hate this place.” Obi-Wan said, smiling even through her confession, but secretly thankful to shake the weird moment they lived in the halls of the Temple. She didn´t do well with emotional.

“Well, you are about to love it.” He promised with the same tricky smile, pulling her by the hand again.

Obi-Wan had half a mind to roll her eyes at been manhandle once more but she allowed him to do so since he had cheered her and get her out of her depressing state.

When he stopped again, they were facing a Republic starship, it was clean white with blue stripes at the wings. She had seen this model, she had used it herself. It was nothing out of this world.

“What it´s this about?”

“It´s a ship.”

“I can see that, Quinlan.” Obi-Wan scolded without anger “What I don´t see it´s why you are showing it to me.”

“You should be more excited, you know?” he said, crossing his strong arms over his chest.

“I don´t see why this would be exciting…” She mimicked the pose.

“Really?” a different voice beside her exclaimed. “I´m offended by that statement.”

Obi-Wan turned on her heels with a confused face, but the speed of her heart was tale-telling on its own. Her ears, her heart, her soul knew that voice.

The grinning face of Anakin Skywalker was standing there, looking down at her with amusement. He was inches taller, he was tall and strong and beautiful. And Obi-Wan could melt with the intense light he was shining her way.

Quinlan´s voice barely register on her back.

“I know that you have a tendency to fall apart without the little rat by your side” he joked, not knowing how much truth that declaration held. “So I thought it was time to bring him back home.”

Obi-Wan´s eyes were lost into Anakin´s blue ones. She was interrupted in that moment. She was lost into the perfection of what she felt. It scared her, but it also took her to places that she was dying to go. She was dying to finally go all the way, into danger, into madness, into wherever he was ready to take her.

“I must tell you Master, I´m not half as good without you that I am when I´m at your side.”

Anakin´s words were controlled, measured, something that disconcerted Obi-Wan. He had always been so rash with his demonstration of his affection, so careless of the secret condition that they were in. But she wasn´t bothered, she was deeply touched. Because behind the disguised of simplicity and restrain off his words, the intent behind them were as powerful as if he had just swept her off her feet and kissed her in front of the crowd of the hangar.

Obi-Wan knew it was her turn to say something. Silence could be just as telling as words. She needed to say something, anything.

“I´m glad you are back” she managed to gasp. “I was worried you´d like to stay with Master Mundi instead of coming back to me.”

It was dry and mocking, and Obi-Wan was afraid that Anakin would grow upset at the lack of sentiment. She was so excited, so full of emotion that she couldn´t contain herself, but years of Jedi training were doing their best to hold back all the new unexpected sentimentalism that it was threatening to expose her.

But Anakin only smiled, gave a look to Quinlan and shrugged his shoulders.

“I don´t think anyone would take me in, Master. They said I´m a nightmare to work with.”

Quinlan laughed at that.

“You can say that again, Skywalker.”

Obi-Wan looked at him so she would be able to concentrate once more, although she almost turned red at the powerful burning sensation of Anakin´s eyes staring at her skin.

“I must leave you now. I´m afraid I had a meeting with Master Koon.”

“Had?” The red-haired Jedi questioned, perplexed by the relaxed manner that the male Jedi used.

“Yes, well, you know…mmm, I´m running late since I got distracted with bringing you here and all of that…”

“You are unbelievable.” Obi-Wan scoffed and closing her eyes with a painful expression.

“I must go. See you Kenobi, take care Skywalker.”

“Goodbye, Master Vos.” Anakin nodded respectfully. Obi-Wan´s skin vibrating with a deep shake that traveled down her spine at the sound of his deep voice.

She turned to face him with some reservations, just to find him smiling down at her with devoted eyes and an easy smile.

Whatever he had gone through it had turned him into a more matured, controlled and peaceful man. His last promise of change and growth back into her mind at the sight of his deep eyes. They hadn´t miss their fire but they have gained strength and a confidence worthy of a Jedi. Obi-Wan could get lost into those passionate gems. And for a moment, she found herself lacking of merit to behold such a stare.

“I missed you, Master…” He said again.

Obi-Wan raised one eyebrow at that.

Then, a little lower and a bit closer, pulling her behind his ship where the eyes of the clones couldn´t reach but the noise of their conversations erased the sound of their secret whispers, he brought her closer still, making their noses touch and their breaths mix.

“…and I love you more than words can truly say.”

She allowed a breathy laugh to escape her mouth, and the last thing she saw were his sparkling eyes before he sealed her lips with his own in a perfect kiss.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´m back (yei!). I´m here with mostly a "filler" chapter although the end it´s worth the slow pace of this one. Next chapter it´s the end of the "Devotion" arc and there it´s gonna be a good big surprise there, so stick around for that one, I´m sure you are going to enjoy it ;) 
> 
> In the next arc we will be introduce to Rex, Cody and Ahsoka <3, so I´m excited for it.  
> UPDATE: I want to give a slight warning and little news that I have updated the tags of the story and that this story will have alot of the Expanded Universe alongside the New Canon and Original Content. I will add notes of what it´s part of the expanded universe fo you guys that haven´t read any of it yet. Anakin´s missions with Master Mundi it´s part of the old expanded universe "Clone Wars: Republic" around Issue #58.


	13. Clone Wars: Devotion (Part 7)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some things end and some others begin.  
> End of Arc 2.

He had dreamed of this. Many nights, in many different places. It felt strange and preposterous to be able to see it from so close now; it was a sight, that for a while, it had only belonged in his dreams.

His eyes were staring at the long veil of red that was Obi-Wan´s hair. This was what he remembered the most during his time away from her. To be able to see her like that, to see her beauty was a gracious show which he only could fully appreciate. He remember himself thinking about it during the missions, reaching out to the other side of his cot expecting to find the warm and soft skin of his other half, only to find it empty and cold, he remember the times when he had to make decisions on his own, right after second guessing and looking at his back because he almost expected for her to be right there with her disapproving look telling him to follow her mandate, not his. He remember standing, talking, sharing and living with so many other people that wore similar clothes, talked with the same mannerisms, thought and proceeded with the same caution and just being disappointed because none of them had that shade of red hair, those stormy eyes, that bright smile. It was disconcerting and exciting to be this close to it now. Close enough to touch.

After the small kissing session behind his ship ended, they both galloped through the halls like foolish lovesick teenagers; so much so, that he almost grew wary that the rest of the Order would have just one look at them and figure out what happen behind locked doors. Anakin had half a mind to say this to Obi-Wan but his wife was so happy and openly affectionate that he felt powerless against the strength of her perfect smile and cheerful eyes.

They have both enclosed themselves to their shared quarters, where they could love and share each other without limitations and shame. Anakin had flopped onto one of the couches while Obi-Wan went directly to the kitchen, looking for some tea and food to offer to him.

The female Jedi almost seemed like a completely different person to him. But then again, he almost felt different himself. To someone who would not know his Master so well, Obi-Wan look like her regular self; to him, though, it look as someone had taken possession of her body. She was humming quietly to herself while making tea, eyes kinder and a permanent smile on her pink plump lips. It was a sight to behold.

Anakin couldn´t help but grin. He had hoped to see his Master this happy for so many years now, it was the first time he could appreciate a full display of pure joy coming from her, he didn´t want to interrupt her with some stupid teasing and useless jokes about her current mood as he would normally would. He was content with sitting back and being able to see her almost dancing through the floor of their home while serving tea. She looked almost ten years younger.

“Done!” she exclaimed in a singing voice.

Anakin giggled at the ridiculous scene.

“You are smiling so much I´m afraid you will end up with a permanent grin on your face.”

Obi-Wan looked at him with questioning eyes while serving him the warm tea she prepared. Not noticing she was still smiling.

“I´m not smiling that much…”

Anakin snorted.

“You need to look at yourself in a mirror.”

Obi-Wan put the pot on the coffee table and started touching her cheeks as if trying to confirm Anakin´s comments, a soft blush of red covering her pretty face.

Anakin´s grin widened at the self-conscious action and he stretched his arms to take her by the waist and pull her to sit by his side, head comfortable over his broad chest.

“I like it.” Anakin trusted her and then kiss her on her forehead. “I have never seen you this happy before, it´s like a dream.”

“You have never been away before, not like this.” She reminded him.

“You went to Mandalore for a year, Master.” Anakin reminded her in turn, with an almost accusing tone, his left hand making figures over the sleeve of her clothes.

“Well yes, but not during war time and not while I was married to you.” She informed him while giving him a side eye.

“Oh, yes…” Anakin whispered, encircling her with his arm, accepting the difference of scenarios. “You took your time, Obi-Wan, you should have done it much sooner.”

Obi-Wan slapped him on the chest when she realized what he meant.

“Anakin… you were fourteen.”

“I was a hot fourteen year old, Master.”

Obi-Wan buffed and repressed the need to slap him on the head.

“You were an insolent brat with a superiority complex.” Obi-Wan sentenced.

“You wound me, Master.” He told her, not really meaning it.

“Good. You need the reality check.”

Obi-Wan smiled when she felt Anakin´s chest shaking with contained laughter, she immediately kissed him over his robes, smelling the characteristic aroma that Anakin possessed, that strong combination of leather, oil and the sun.

Obi-Wan felt as if she wanted to close her eyes and never leave this place. She had spent so many nights on her own in a lonely bed and an equally silent apartment, being with Anakin once again was like breathing fresh air after being held underwater, like resting after a long hard day of work. She was happy, and yes, maybe she was being a little silly, but she couldn´t help herself to stop or care. All she wanted was finally right here, safe in her arms.

“I missed you so much…” The female Jedi suddenly said, raising her head and placing her chin where her cheek once rested.

Anakin´s eyes shifted down to hers, and Obi-Wan´s smile waved slightly when she notices a change inside the blue gems of her beloved apprentice. They are hardened and distant. His smile is truthful but it´s also wary, and a bad feeling almost takes root inside her breast at the sight of Anakin´s hesitant and almost calculating reaction.

“I missed you too…” the boy fixes only one second later. Obi-Wan frowns at the weird response, it felt as if Anakin was playing a part and he had forgotten his lines. He seemed to only remember them the minute Obi-Wan stared up at him with careful eyes.

Obi-Wan was gladly surprised when he acted with respect and discretion in the hangar, after all, there were so many peering eyes that could easily see them being overly affectionate with each other; the fact that he could contain his explosion of emotion was remarkable. But here, where nobody could see or hear anything, where they were safe and they craved to be touched, there was no need for him to be guarded. Obi-Wan suddenly feared that there was something more to the strange behavior.

“Is there something wrong?” she asks immediately, not helping herself.

Anakin looks at her for a moment, disconcerted by the question. But he shakes his head without much preoccupation.

“A little tired, perhaps. But I´m fine, Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan smiled and tries to exorcise the thought that was rolling around her mind, exhaling a mouthful of air and trying to find peace in the statement. Maybe he was tired, maybe he was dodging her questions; whatever it was, she didn´t want to start a heavy conversation as soon as he was back in her arms. She wants to stay right there, curled around his figure and smelling his unique perfume, feeling the heat of his golden skin against her. She didn´t want fights and disagreements, she wanted to have a peaceful day of the two of them tangled up on each other.

Maybe she is overthinking things, maybe she was being the apprehensive Master that is so used to worry about her apprentice that she can´t see nothing else but mistakes and storms in glasses of water.

If Anakin said he was fine, he was fine. She has to trust in him, even when her experience was telling her otherwise.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

It has been a couple of days since his arrival at the Temple, and he would have gladly be content with locking himself inside his quarters with the company of his wife for what it was the remaining of the week, comfortably resting on one of the couches or conversing about their day. But it seemed that war didn´t wait for them, specially that very same morning when Obi-Wan´s comm seemed to come to life only to wake her up from a light slumber while she rested atop of his chest.

Sadly for both of them, the Council required Obi-Wan´s presence inside their chambers to discuss some war strategy that Anakin and the other Jedi weren´t allow to know about yet. Anakin had rolled his eyes in exasperation when Obi-Wan raised from the bed way too early without questioning or complaining and tried to fixed her sleepy face, going right back to the Jedi Master he knew from before he left the Temple to do his own missions without her.

It seemed to him that drastic changes were short lived. For, after their days of “honeymoon” phase, as Obi-Wan had taken to call it, everything return to the same accelerating pacing from before he left. With Obi-Wan being too busy to just spend some quality time with him and him being restless at being bound to Temple grounds.

Although Anakin was disappointed for the return of Obi-Wan´s usual personality he didn´t say anything. After all, it wasn´t anything that couldn´t be helped, and therefore nothing to be throwing tantrums around and about.

His wife apologized for the interruption of their perfect morning although it wasn´t really her fault and left, but not before depositing a small kiss on his lips and saying something of cooking dinner later.

With that, Anakin decided to venture around the halls of the massive Temple, looking around seeing if there was anything different since he was gone. His feet ultimately brought him to the training rooms, almost grinning when some younglings passed him by and tried to stop him on his tracks to beam at him in an overly excited manner. The initiates tended to do that a lot with the senior Padawans like him, always eager to gain some of their attention.

There was a small pull from the Force while he walked the halls of the place, a slight tingle in the back of his head that talked about a familiar presence that was magnetic, calling him to come closer to it. He allowed his legs to chase after the small presence, a little bit intrigued by whatever it was that was trying to gain his attention.

When he finally found it, he was inside one of the training rooms, staring at Aubrie Wyn going through positions and katas around the mats working his blue lightsaber and battling some droids.   

His old lightsaber vibrated not only with Aubrie´s movements but with his arrival as well. Sensing its rightful owner and almost demanding to be acknowledged.

Anakin raised an eyebrow at the sight of her sister-Padawan; knowing by Obi-Wan´s words that she went to assist in the war with her healing abilities just one day before he arrived back to the Temple. Her hair, that he remembered being short, had grown into a light brown caramel mane that reached just below her shoulders. Anakin could also see her braid had acquired a couple of new beads.

“You´ve been practicing, I see…” he saluted when it was obvious that Aubrie hadn´t sense his presence.

The younger Padawan turned on her heels to see him standing by the entrance of the room.

“Anakin!” Aubrie beamed “you are back!”

The man chuckled silently at the warm welcome, leaving his spot by the door and walking into the room to approach her.

“Just arrived a few days ago.” He informed her.

“Does Master Obi-Wan knows?” Aubrie immediately asked, walking up to him to shorten the distance, pushing her training aside.

“Of course. She was there when I arrived.” He told her with some reserve; after all, one of the reasons he left into missions across the galaxy was to appease Aubrie´s suspicions about his relationship with his Master. He still wasn´t sure where they stood.

“So, you´ve made it…” Aubrie chuckled, not noting the slight somber change of attitude on Anakin´s face “…and in one piece.”

Anakin grinned, recuperating his good humor at the jest. He pulled the lightsaber that was currently resting on his utility belt, the weapon she built herself some years ago. “Partially thanks to your saber” he reminded her “you have a fine weapon here…”

“I wish I could say the same thing about yours…” she grins with malice “yours is a stubborn piece of work.”

“Hey!” Anakin laughs with feign insult “My saber it´s amazing. Don´t blame it for your incompetence” he tells her before folding his arms against his chest.

Aubrie rolls her eyes in a similar fashion to Obi-Wan´s usual way that Anakin almost chokes at the unexpected similarity.

“The grip it´s all off. Why did you have to build such an uncomfortable handle?”

“It´s specifically design for Djem-So users, it favors strength and a solid grip, it´s not my fault that you don´t know how to whirl a lightsaber around.”

Aubrie snorted incredibly.

“It´s that what you tell yourself to feel better at night, Skywalker?” she rolls her eyes again “Just admit the fact that my lightsaber´s design it´s far superior and move on.”

“I don´t have to accept anything. My weapon it´s much better than yours. It´s you, Aubrie, who actually needs to accept things.”

“Hey! Don´t insult my saber, it´s your weapon that looks ugly...” Aubrie lashes without actual anger, a silly smile betraying her façade.

“Ugly?!” Anakin gasps “At least mine has some design involve into it, yours it´s just a plain metal stick that it´s rather short.”

“Stick!?”

“Do I hear an echo?” Anakin mocks “Yes, I said stick.”

“Hold on, there…!”

“Children!”

A deep male voice resonated inside the room making both Padawans turn at the entrance to see almost the entirety of the Jedi Council staring back at them with a mixture of perplexity, mild amusement and, in Master Windu´s case, a bit of annoyance.

“Are you done with your gibberish or you are going to start a shouting match over who has the prettiest shoes as well?” Quinlan Vos asked them, clearly enjoying himself.

Aubrie´s face turned red until it reached the roots of her hair in embarrassment. Anakin coughed a couple of times to disperse the uncomfortable feeling of being observed and almost blushes as well when he notices Obi-Wan standing there with the rest of the Council, an eyebrow slightly raised in confusion and another furrowed in mild concern. She doesn´t seem upset as far as Anakin could tell, but he might be wrong.

“I believe that these are your Padawan learners, Master Kenobi…?” Master Koth turned to ask the female Jedi.

Obi-Wan who stood almost in the back of the group turned to see the Zabrak, looking  exactly like the regal Jedi Councilor that Anakin imagined she will turn into when he was away. Perfect, clean robes, her long braids pin up all over her hair like a halo and she was even wearing her long brown cloak and hiding her hands on the long sleeves.

“Indeed, Master Koth.” She said with a small smile.

Master Koth smirked at the response. “I say that you will have your hands full with these ones. If they like to fight about lightsabers designs, I don´t want to imagine how they would fight over war strategy.”

“Oh, don´t worry, Master Koth...” Obi-Wan grinned and shook her head slightly “I have them on a leash.”

“See that you do” Master Windu added, half joking half meaning it. The older Padawan notices Quinlan in the background trying not to laugh at the scene they were making.

Anakin, funny enough, is not surprised by the comments but he sends some looks at Obi-Wan´s direction with a raised eyebrow, the woman hardly notices him since she appears to be enjoying his suffering with the rest of her ´friends´.

“Oh!” Master Mundi suddenly exclaims, this time, looking directly at Anakin “is this your friend, then? The one whose lightsaber you used during our missions?”

Something about the soft, kind voice and concerning words that came out of Master Mundi´s mouth made Anakin feel as if he was talking to his own grandfather, although he have never had a grandfather.

Aubrie turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow and her arms folded against her chest. Anakin pretended not to pay attention to the action but it was getting rather difficult to do so when the interested eyes of the Council members were examining him for an answer.

“Yes, Master Mundi” he finally relented, knowing what it will come next.

“Oh!” he exclaims with a pleased smile before turning to Obi-Wan “I´m just pointing that out since your Padawan used to sneak around the camp afterhours to practice some Katas with his new acquired lightsaber…”

Anakin cursed under his breath, feeling the shame raising to his cheeks.

“Is that so?” Obi-Wan questioned in a complete and utter fake tone of interest that Anakin hasn´t heard her use since he was a kid. Anakin narrowed his eyes sensing his wife´s wicked intentions.

“Oh, yes. I think he didn´t want us to think that he couldn´t use his lightsaber properly since, you know, he had some trouble keeping a steady grip to it.” Master Mundi continued without remorse; listening to his soft, rather sweet tone of voice, no one would think he was actually teasing him, but Anakin knew that the mischievous look on his golden eyes could only mean he was having a laugh at his expense.

“Ha!” Aubrie suddenly exclaimed “Who is the incompetent now?” she challenged him with a bright smile.

“It´s still you, Aubrie. It´s not my fault that your _stick_ it´s too thin and continued to slip from my hand every time I was trying to struck a battle droid.”

“Skywalker just admit defeat…” the healer insisted, placing her hands on her hips in sign of victory.

“To you? Never…” He rebutted, mimicking the expression on his friend´s face.

Master Windu cleared his throat, interrupting their bickering before it got heated again and making the both of them stand like soldiers in the middle of an inspection.

“Very well” he started with a palpable awkwardness “you may continue with your…” he stopped sending one of his looks to the two apprentices “… _banter._ Just keep it down.” With that he turned on his heels and started to walk away, inviting the other Masters to follow suit. All of them did, grinning at the gracelessness of Mace Windu trying to participate in friendly teasing. And failing. Miserably.

Obi-Wan was one of the last ones to follow the small entourage of Councilors, smiling at both Aubrie and Anakin while she conversed with Master Mundi and Master Vos, probably planning more embarrassing scenarios where the three of them could make fun of poor Anakin Skywalker, or so Anakin guessed.  

“Not even an attempt to defend us…” Aubrie muttered, obviously referring to Obi-Wan´s traitorous smirk, siding with her peers before even considering siding with her students.

“That´s Obi-Wan for you” Anakin informed her. “If you were expecting a nice, soft and caring Master better consider your choices in life. She ain´t going to protect you.”

“You sound like you talk by experience. Has she forsaken you that much?” Aubrie questioned while walking out of the room, Anakin hot on her heels.

“Only when it gave her the opportunity of embarrassing me, yes.” The male Padawan told her, scratching the back of his neck, while Aubrie laughed beside him “Once she programmed a hologram of herself showing my underpants to the holo-camera because I kept leaving my dirty clothes all over the floor of our apartment…”

Aubrie frowned at the strange tale. “That doesn´t seem so bad…”

“…in front of my entire dueling class. I was fifteen.” Anakin sentenced with a look.

“Owwww” Aubrie howled, suddenly giggling between her teeth “…that´s cold.”

“She´s a cold woman.” Anakin shrugged, remembering the many jests he received after that incident. He almost winces by the easy way the accusation slips from his tongue, as if he wasn´t teasing about Obi-Wan´s detachment, as if he actually meant those words.

The thought played inside his head for a while and only noticed Aubrie talking to him when he heard something about ships.

“…Anyway, I was thinking of going to the hangar to try and give some maintenance to my starship, wanna come?” she invited with a smile, knowing that Anakin was a sucker for mechanics.

“That sounds like fun” he accepted, a big grin filling his face at the prospect of tinkering with machines, replacing the short-lived irritation that invaded him from a second ago.

“Yeah, sure, just don´t touch my ship, you are there in the condition of spectator, I saw your starship the other day, and boy, yours is ugly…”

Anakin reacted almost instantly.

“What´s that supposed to mean? Are we doing this again, Wyn, really? What´s wrong with my ship?”

“Should I make a list or just a brief summary?” She questioned while they got lost in the halls of the Temple.

Anakin started to contradict her almost immediately, falling back into the comical trading of insults that had started inside the training rooms. In the distance, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi couldn´t help but smile at the sight of her two apprentices sharing a moment.

“I got the feeling that those two would do just fine, If you don´t mind me saying…” Master Mundi commented beside her.

Obi-Wan turned to look at the older Master. “Before, I wasn´t so sure…” she confessed “…but since he returned he seemed quite changed.”

“He had. Although…” Mundi trailed off, touching his beard in deep thought.

Obi-Wan quickly detected a strange vibe coming from the man beside her.

“…Is there something wrong?” She asked.

“I´m not sure” he told her “He seemed fine to me during our time together. But A´sharad wasn´t so positive about this… change of his.”

“A´sharad Hett? Your old Padawan?” Obi-Wan remembered Anakin mentioning the name in a couple of his messages when he was reporting to her during his time away.

Master Mundi nodded.

“He didn´t go to any specifics. He just told me that Anakin was too… how did he put it?” He said placing his hands behind him. “Oh, yes, impressionable…”

Obi-Wan frowned at the wording.

“I´m sure he didn´t mean anything too bad by it. I didn´t notice anything out of order with him, well, nothing that I didn´t know beforehand; I know he is a difficult one, of course.” He fixed with a smile, Obi-Wan returning it as well without much humor. “It´s just that A´sharad spent more time with him. If he saw something only he would know about it.”

“Any idea where Master Hett is?” Obi-Wan questioned, looking at the long hall where his secret husband and her new apprentice left. Suddenly remembering Anakin´s unusual behavior that morning.

“He must be in the meditation rooms. He likes to spend time there.”

“Maybe I´ll pay him a visit, then…”

Mundi only shrugged. “If you wish.”

Obi-Wan suddenly wish to do just that. Very much, indeed. Master Mundi rested a warm hand on her shoulder in a sign of support, one of his sweet smiles on his lips.

“For what is worth, Obi-Wan, he seemed like a good kid to me. A bit on the wild side and definitely impulsive but equally impressive. He would make a fine Knight someday. Maybe sooner than expected.” He said with a wink and a little squeeze to her shoulder.

Obi-Wan raised a thin eyebrow at that, trying to decide if it was worth pursuing an answer from his peer. But before she could decide to do so, he bowed with respect and walked away, leaving her trying to figure out if her worries of that morning were right after all and if the illusion of change and maturity she witnessed on the hangar was just that, an illusion.

She sent a last longing look at the corridor, Aubrie and Anakin nowhere to be seen. She has decided trusting in Anakin; decided she wasn´t going to assume things anymore without asking first. But it was rather difficult to do so without Anakin taking things the wrong way and with Anakin not sharing his mind as much as she wish he did.

With a sigh, she shook her head lightly and walked to follow Master Mundi who was now conversing with Quinlan, suddenly remembering she still had some work to do.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“We need more Knights” the voice of Master Windu informs them once they are all seated inside the Council chambers.

“Do we have the time to assign the trials?” Master Koon questions via holographic image. The man is currently busy directing his own campaign somewhere in the mid-rim territories.

“Possible, it is not. Without the trails, we have to do.” Master Yoda muses in his usual thoughtful voice.

Obi-Wan winced slightly at the proclamation, the room seems equally disturbed by the possibility of bypassing the trials in favor of just assigning the Knighthoods judging by the sudden explosion of whispers between the Masters. The red-haired Jedi remembers her own promotion, when she was only sixteen and slayed a Sith Lord that had killed her own Master in a fit of rage. To this day, she mourns for the trials that she never got to take, feeling uncomfortable with the prospect of some other youth having to experience the same situation.

“How do we decide which Padawans must be promoted then?” Master Tii wondered, she, just like Master Koon, was present only via hologram, busy with her almost permanent mission on Kamino.

“The war itself is a trial” Obi-Wan says, talking for the very first time since they have gotten inside the chambers “I say that we must look for the oldest apprentices first, the ones who had shown special skills.”

“Master Kenobi…” Kit Fisto calls, looking at her from his seat “my understatement it´s that you are currently teaching two Padawans, is that correct?”

Obi-Wan nods thoughtfully.

“Is it one of them ready to become a Knight?”

The female Jedi is taken by surprise by the question and lifts an eyebrow at it. Before she could answer something, she is interrupted by Mace Windu.

“Aubrie Wyn is too young” he decides without overture “and too unexperienced.”

Obi-Wan agrees with the notion but doesn´t comment anything about it, trying to recall names of Padawan learners that she knew could be ready for the responsibilities of Knighthood.

“But what about her other Padawan?” Master Mundi exclaims touching his white beard. Obi-Wan turns to look at him with intrigued eyes, as the rest of the Council does.

“I´ve seen to the boy myself; if skill is what we are going after there is no one more skillful from the older apprentices than Skywalker.”

Mace doesn´t says anything but frowns, thinking about the possibility and clearly troubled by it. There were whispers around the Masters, talking among them and sending wary looks at Obi-Wan´s way, as if expecting for her to speak.

“Absolutely not. He is far from ready.” Master Rancisis intervenes, almost insulted by the nomination. “He is rash, impulsive and arrogant.”

Obi-Wan feels like she should be offended by the unfair description of her secret husband, and in some way she is, but the Jedi in her, the one who knows all of Anakin´s misadventures hesitates for a moment, her head asking her to listen to those words even if they are not what she wishes to hear in her heart.

“He has grown” Master Mundi expresses. “I can attests to that.”

Master Gallia almost snorts when Master Mundi is done supporting the young Padawan.

“If these were peaceful times and he were to take the trials as he is now, he would fail them.”  

“Peaceful times, these are not.” Master Yoda reminds her.

“We cannot ignore the Code and our traditions just because war is raging across the galaxy” Master Racisis tells them.

“Yes, but isn´t he the Chosen One after all?” Master Fisto exclaims between the mutters and whispers of the crowd.

“Obi-Wan…” Master Windu turns to her, calling for her attention. “He is your Padawan and ultimately you are the must suited to give an opinion of his abilities…”

The dark eyes of Mace examine her making her take a deep breath. The rest of the Councilors stare at her with the same focus and wait for her assessment to come. Obi-Wan feels suddenly apprehensive to give an answer and condemn what it could very well be the future of her apprentice.

She could almost hear Anakin´s eager voice whispering by her ear. She could imagine him smiling from ear to ear with one of those beautiful smiles he only can give. She could feel the warmth of his hug, the shiny gleam on his blue eyes, the raspy laugh coming from his pink lips. She could see all those different scenarios in seconds; thinking that she could be the one to decide he was ready to be his own person, to rule his own way, to not need her to hold his hand and guide him through life the way she has since he was nine years old.

There is a pain inside her chest at the prospect of it. The pain of loss and loneliness. The pain of life moving on and changing in front of her eyes without her being able to do anything about it.

“Yes.” Obi-Wan says out loud, making sure everyone in the room could hear her. “He is the most talented Jedi I have ever seen. He has proved his skills time and time again. He has grown and accomplish great feats during his time as a Jedi.”

The words come in automatic, in a series of mutterings that test her self-control. And before she can think straight, she keeps talking.

“I think he is ready. I think he deserves to be a Knight.” She sentences.

Obi-Wan wonders how something so special, so good and true could hurt her just as well. She had waited for this, prepared herself for the day when Anakin would become a Jedi Knight. Would take his vows and make her proud.

But nothing in this world prepared her for the pain that it would follow.

“I wish to nominate Anakin Skywalker to become a Jedi Knight.”

Everyone in the room looks at her and remains quiet, not whispers to be heard or telling looks trying to influence an answer out of her. And Obi-Wan questions herself for a minute, trying to think if she has said too much. If she had overstepped or fail to convinced them of her decision.

She could swear that stars had been born and died before any of them moved or made a sound. But when she was about to take back her confident resolution, Master Yoda stood from his seat, making their eyes shift at him with silent confusion.

“Then, decided it is.” He says.

Obi-Wan looks at him with full eyes. She doesn´t know if they are filled with pain or hope.

“Anakin Skywalker, a Knight will be.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Some days had passed faster than Anakin would have thought. He still feels restless at the thought of being locked inside the Temple when the rest of his brothers and sisters are fighting for the Republic in different star systems and complicated battles across the galaxy, but when Obi-Wan told him in confidence that it seemed they would be sent out to a mission in the next few days he felt he could relax.

The young man had gone to visit Padmé earlier that week, finding satisfaction in seeing his closest friend. The young Senator had been a beautiful sight and they have fallen into an easy conversation the minute he made it to her apartment.

Even though Anakin felt much better once he had conversed with the female politician, he still feel the need to do a last social visit to another good friend. After all, since that day on the training room with Aubrie, Obi-Wan had started acting a little weird if not distant. She smiled and talked, made dinner for him and even relaxed on the couch beside him, allowing some caresses and gentle kisses here and there, but something about the way she looked at him when she thought he wasn´t noticing told him there was something more to it.

Anakin had behaved himself, even befriending Aubrie much more than just the casual banter and the morning training that now they did to be able to coordinate as a team. They fell back to the deep open hearted conversations they had when they first met on Jabiim, when Anakin was a terrible mess and Aubrie was the one who kept him together. Eventually, the female Jedi had even given his lightsaber back to him, admitting defeat and saying that she wasn´t feeling comfortable with the weapon, Anakin grinned at that and returned her own saber back to her.

But now, before being deployed again to some corner of the galaxy with only Aubrie and Obi-Wan by his side, he needed to see someone he had missed while he was away.

“Anakin, my boy, it´s so good to see you!”

Chancellor Palpatine received him with a broad smile that almost made Anakin blushed. The man always seemed happy to see him and, even with a tight and busy agenda, he continuously made time for Anakin to just come to his office to talk some casual topic and vent a little of his own busy life.

“Chancellor Palpatine” he saluted with a bow “I´m glad to see you too.”

“Last time I heard about you, you were somewhere in Zaadja, I believe.”

“Yes, I was participating in some mission beside Master Mundi and Master Hett.” He told him, wearing a tight smile.

Not wasting any time, the Chancellor seemed to pick up on the weird attitude of the Jedi apprentice.

“Are you all right, Anakin?” he asked, voice deep with concern “I heard a great battle ensued during that mission…”

“Yes…” Anakin murmured “we lost a lot of Jedi.”

Palpatine frowned painfully at the comment.

“I´m so sorry, my boy. It seems that this war it´s really decimating the Jedi forces.”

Anakin started to pace before the great windows that showed the splendor of Coruscant in the middle of the day. The city-planet seemed so peaceful in comparison to the rest of the galaxy, it was always a mockery of the suffering of the rest of the planets.

“It´s so unfair…” he hisses, clenching his fists and almost biting his lips at the thought. He had ignored the feeling of impotence that he had carried with him since he had arrived at the Temple, trying not to worry Obi-Wan with his usual nonsense, trying to be the man he promised he would be at his return to her arms. “Everybody is dying in this blasted war and I cannot do anything to stop it.”

“You must not blame yourself, Anakin.” The Chancellor says, getting by his side and placing a hand on his shoulder. “The Separatist are the ones who are propagating this war, you are a hero…”

“A hero?” Anakin asks almost with a snort, although his face is that of a pained and scared child, not of anger “I couldn´t even save my friends…”

“You said that Master Mundi was with you…” Palpatine reminded him “He is a Jedi Master, member of the High Council, If I´m not mistaken…” The Chancellor lets him know, arching an eyebrow to make a point.

Anakin nods, narrowing his eyes slightly at the words.

“If he couldn´t do anything to save those Jedi, there is no indication you could have done better than him.”

The young Jedi wants to think the Chancellor is right. After all, it made sense. But the memories of the many wounded men and women he saw while cruising the many camps while he was in service told him otherwise. He saw their scarred bodies, sometimes missing limbs or just terribly injured forms, fighting to survive. Those images still lingered inside his mind and chased him everywhere he went.

And most of all, Master A´sharad Hett´s words.

_“All that anger. Those are not the ways of the Jedi. You walk a dark road, Anakin Skywalker.”_

Anakin winced at the memory of the words every time he reminded them. He could still feel those golden eyes, looking at him with pity and sadness.

He could still feel the hate he felt. The shame at being exposed.

“I ought to be better…” Anakin whispered almost to himself “I´m the Chosen One. I cannot allow myself to make more mistakes…”

The old politician beside him patted him on the back in a sign of comfort, and softly guided him away from the massive viewports to invite him to sit on one of the many chairs that were placed around his elegant office.

“Don´t worry, dear boy…” the gentle voice of the Chancellor comforted, making Anakin feel safe. “All of this shall pass, come with me, there is so much to talk about.”

The young Padawan found himself feeling better, allowing the troubles of his difficult mind to drift away from him if only for a blessed moment. He could trust in Chancellor Palpatine. He always made him feel protected and heard since he was a boy, and that was much more than what he felt coming from anyone else in his life. No matter what was on his mind, he was sure the Chancellor was always glad to hear it, even when they didn´t necessarily agree or when the differences between their lifestyles were self-evident. And because of that, Anakin couldn´t help but smile and forget about everything else a little while longer.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“Is this going to be a thing now?”

Aubrie, who was currently sitting on the great stairs of marble of the Jedi Temple´s entrance looked down to see the figure of Anakin Skywalker climbing up to meet her.

“I don´t know” Aubrie responded “Are you ever going to answer your calls?”

Anakin rolled his blue eyes with his usual impertinence.

“You are starting to sound like Obi-Wan.”

“Well, Master was calling you. You didn´t answer.”

Anakin wanted to chuckle at the sound of Aubrie referring to Obi-Wan as ´Master´, so proper and dignified, although another part of him, the possessive one, didn´t appreciate anyone calling Obi-Wan “Master”. For so long, that has been his pleasure only, it felt bad to share it.

“I went to visit Padmé and Chancellor Palpatine” he informed her when he caught up with her, making a gesture with his head for her to stand up and finish climbing up the stairs with him.

“The Senator?” she almost snorts until she catches up with the other name muttered “And the Chancellor? Which kind of businesses would you have to attend that required you to visit them?”

“No business. It´s called friends, Aubrie. You should try it sometime.”

Aubrie did snort this time, making Anakin smile.

“Friends with politicians? Yeah, sure.”

Anakin only shook his head when he reached the top of the stairs and started walking to the impressive entrance of the Temple. His eyes searched the area to see the guards well posted by the doors and the Sentinel Jedi that were currently on service, observing and assessing as the sun died on the horizon.

“What did Master Obi-Wan want, anyway?” he wondered, finding that he actually missed his wife, with whom he had only had the chance to have a few stolen moments lately. She had been incredibly busy and suspicious the entire week, if work didn´t keep her away from him, her strange behavior did.

“Is about a mission?” he wonder, a little bit wary and happy at the same time by the prospect of going out to the rest of the galaxy again.

Aubrie shrugged her shoulders while she walked beside him.

“I don´t think so. She didn´t tell me much, just that the Council required your presence.”

“Oh, great” the sarcasm thick in his voice “another scolding.”

Aubrie giggled, almost tasting a good joke on her tongue.

“I haven´t done anything.” He let her know, sensing his Padawan-sister preparing some jest that would surely wound his pride.

“Oh, I believe you, Ani. Don´t worry.”

Anakin gave her a dirty look by the use of the nickname. He doesn´t allow anyone who isn´t Padmé, and Obi-Wan for that matter, to call him by the childish moniker, and Jedi aren´t that fond of appellatives anyway.

“Were you with Obi-Wan before this?” he asked her.

“No at all. She called me since you didn´t answer your com.”

The male Jedi rolls his eyes and mutters something about being busy and being allowed to have a private life.

“But the last time I saw her she was having a conversation with Master Hett.”

Anakin stopped in his tracks as if he had witnessed the explosion of a supernova.

“What did you say?” he exclaims, eyes open wide.

Aubrie frowns at the tone of his voice but answers nevertheless. “Just what I said. Master Obi-Wan was talking with Master Hett.”

“Master A´sharad Hett?”

“I wasn´t informed that there was another Jedi by that name. Yes, Master A´sharad Hett.”

“About what?”

“I don´t know, Anakin” she tells him in a voice full of confusion, the voice that an older sibling likes to use when his or her little brother is being particularly obnoxious. “I wasn´t there, I just saw them talking by the meditation rooms.”

Anakin suddenly feels overwhelm with the possibility that Obi-Wan knew. That she knew what it had happen and what he had told Master Hett during his missions together. He still remembers how the Jedi Knight had discovered what he had done when he returned to his planet Tatooine, when those worthless, savages Tusken Raiders had tortured and murdered his mother.

When Master Hett had found out the truth, Anakin feared that his life as a Jedi would be over. That the Knight would go to the Council and accuse him for what he has done. The possibility of imagining Obi-Wan´s face, her eyes looking at him with horror and disappointment. It would be the worst thing to happen to his life.

“Anakin, is there something wrong?” Aubrie asks him, placing one hand on his shoulder.

The blond haired Padawan couldn´t speak. Couldn´t even move.

“You are scaring me…” she tells her; the teasing dynamic that they have established since he had come back replaced by the old relationship they had when Anakin thought Obi-Wan was dead and Aubrie was trying to help him to put himself together.

“I´m fine… I just, I need to see Obi-Wan now…”

“She is waiting for you in the Room of the Thousand Fountains.”

“Thank you, Aubrie.” He bowed and dashed to the gardens of the Temple, thanking the Force that he was close.

A million instances came to his head, always fearing the worst. He imagined Obi-Wan standing under the tall trees with tears on her eyes or with a hard severe face, maybe even standing beside Master Yoda and Master Windu, ready to kick him out of the place he had called home for what it has been half of his life.

He feared that Obi-Wan would see him as a monster. That she will judge him and deny him even when he´s been trying to do better, to be better.

But when he made it to the beautiful and large garden that it was the Room of the Thousand Fountains, a place that he knew Obi-Wan both loved and hated for some reason that she hadn´t share with him yet. His wife was seated on a circular shaped fountain with flowers on her hair, the same way that she did many years ago, in the final battle of the saber competition when he was but fourteen.

“Obi-Wan…” he whispered.

The female Jedi turned to look at him with a neutral expression on her face. Her eyes appeared bigger and shining, almost blue. Her hair was pushed back and tided in a braided bun at the back of her head. She look lovely even now, when Anakin was dying from apprehension.

“Anakin… you are back.” She said, one hand playing with the hem of her long brown cloak.

“I´m sorry I didn´t answer your calls” he apologized, meaning it.

“You should be more aware, Padawan.” She advise him without any real duress in her voice. “When the Council calls you it´s always urgent for you to be available.”

“Yes, Master.”

“No rebuttals? “ She asks him almost comically, a tired smile on her lips “No contradictions or excuses? How weird of you…”

Anakin´s façade was kept unmoved. He is too nervous and too mortified to be angry.

“No, Master.”

“Well, haven´t you change then?” She half teases. There is something strange in the way Obi-Wan talks or even moves. She seems tired and sad and nervous and Anakin doesn´t like any of those things.

“The Council is waiting for you.”

“Master…” Anakin whispers, not knowing where to start.

“I wanted to have a word with you first” she tells him, standing from the fountain and walking up to him with slow deliberate steps. “…before you face them.”

Anakin closes his eyes, breathing irregularly and feeling his hands tremble at the thought of facing all those disappointed faces. All of them and their words.

Suddenly, he feels soft skin caressing his left cheek. Anakin opens his eyes to see Obi-Wan´s small hand placed on his face and for a moment he thinks she will slap him but the blow never comes, just the easy touch of her lovely skin against his.

“I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am of you…” she whispers.

Anakin´s eyes widen at the declaration. Too many emotions doing circles inside his chest. His voice lost as well as his mind.

“The thing is… I think I should have told you that more often…” she continues.

Anakin raises his flesh hand to hold the one that Obi-Wan is keeping on his face. He wants to kiss her and wants to scream just as well, but doesn´t have the energy to do any of those things. He doesn´t know if he must be relieved or even more worried by Obi-Wan´s words.

“Just… I wished I could have been better… as a Master or as a friend” she says, her grey eyes switching between looking at his chest and into his eyes. “I just hope I could be better as a wife.”

“Don’t say that” he murmurs, turning his head slightly to kiss the back of her hand. “Everything I am I owe it to you. My dream to be a Jedi can be a reality just because you took me in, and the day you married me…” he lowers his voice even more, not afraid to be heard but because he wants to keep it intimate, between them “…you made me the happiest man alive.”

Obi-Wan smiles with joy and embarrassment, showing teeth and blushing. Anakin can help but fall in love even more at the sight of her.

“Well, I think that both of us have made the Council wait too much by now…” She declares, incapable of saying something more, sensing that everything was getting too emotional for her comfort.

“Wait…” he interrupts, pulling her softly by the hand when she started to walk away from their small embrace.

“I know you talked with Master Hett…” Anakin mentions. He doesn´t want to have a fight after the lovely moment they just shared, but he doesn´t want to walk away wondering what happened. Doesn´t want to pretend anything anymore.

Obi-Wan raises a smart eyebrow but nods.

“What did you two… discussed?”

The Jedi Master seems to think of the question for a while before answering.

“Master Mundi told me that Master Hett had commented to him that you had some… issues during your missions together.”

Anakin held his breath, fearing the worst once again, a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach just forming and making him shiver.

“I requested to talk to him.” She continued “I asked him some enquiries. I know you hate when I do that but I´m still your Master, I have the right to ask questions and keep an eye on you.” She told him with one of her patented masterly looks. The ones he used to get a lot when he was even younger and always getting into trouble.

“He told me that you had a hard time tending to the injured Jedi… that there was an accident.”

She wasn´t actually asking something but the tone of the sentence implied the need of an explanation. When Anakin didn´t speak, she tried again.

“…That there was something wrong with your healing abilities…?”

Anakin suddenly realized what she meant and what Master Hett told her. It wasn´t what he thought the Knight would have shared with his Master, and it was far from the worst he could have done.

Anakin doesn´t know if he must answer the question or if he must come clean about what he did. Padmé knew about it, but in Anakin´s mind that was different. The Senator was his friend, his ally. Obi-Wan… she was his wife. And as absurd as it sounded he didn´t feel like he could trust her with the whole truth. Because she might be his wife but she was also a Jedi.

“There was a camp, during one of the missions, they were tending to injured Jedi… everybody was dying and I… I wanted to help but couldn´t.” He sentenced. Choosing to just answer her questions.

“Well, you are not known for your healing abilities…” Obi-Wan said with a frown, failing to see where the problem was.

“It wasn´t like that.” He told her “I tried to channel the Force to help… I…I hurt _her_.”

Obi-Wan stood there, quiet and in complete silence. Expression unreadable on her face.

“I stopped the minute I noticed but I… sometimes I think about it.” Anakin says, staring at the floor in shame “Master Hett pushed me aside, told me I wasn´t dealing with the war the way I should have… that I was…”

“…impressionable.” Obi-Wan finished for him.

Anakin raised his eyes to hers with confusion.

“That´s what he said to me” Obi-Wan told him “He said he thinks you are a talented warrior and a smart tactician… but a fragile young man.”

If Anakin had any energy left in that moment, he probably would have snorted and felt incredibly insulted by that statement. He wasn´t _fragile_. But he didn´t have anything to add. Nothing to rebut.

“Anakin…”

He raises his eyes to see at Obi-Wan´s worried expression.

“I had to question people to know what it was in your mind…” she informed him with some sadness on her features “I had to go to other Jedi to know how you felt, what it happened to you…”

Anakin stared at her while the woman shortened the distance once more. Bringing them close enough to touch.

“You are supposed to share these things with me…” she told him in a plea. Anakin sucked a deep breath at the notion. “You are supposed to talk and let me know if you are sad or angry or happy… I´m not supposed to go around asking other people what they know, I´m supposed to _know_.”

She was right, of course, and Anakin couldn´t blame her for being disappointed. For a married couple, they were incredibly distant. There were too many secrets between them, and not only on his side, she kept some things from him too; be it because they were matters of the Council that she couldn´t freely share or because she was too stoic and incapable of dealing with the emotional side of things.

Anakin wondered if they will ever tear the invisible wall that laid between them, which separated them and cursed them to live, sometimes, completely different lives from each other. Maybe if he just tell her the entire truth, if she knew what he have done in the past, that distance between them would finally shorten, will disappear.

 _“No.”_ Anakin thought _“I cannot tell her. She wouldn´t understand. She would leave me.”_

Anakin couldn´t live in a world where Obi-Wan hated him. It was that simple. So she would never know. She didn´t need to know. She could live without knowing.

“I understand, Master.” Anakin told her with a straight face. “You are right. No more secrets.”

Obi-Wan assessed him for a moment, eyes narrowed in suspicion. But ultimately she smiled and seemed to let go of her apprehensions and doubts.

“Sure, Anakin.” She nodded “Now, let´s go. The Council is waiting.”

Anakin started walking the minute she did, keeping himself always one step behind her. Staring at her back with intense eyes the same way he has always done as her Padawan. But through the silence and the respect he was showing, his mind was set.

_She must never know. For her own good, she must never know._

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Anakin felt it when they made it to the chambers; something was off. Obi-Wan was strangely quiet since their conversation in the Room of the Thousand Fountains, and that would be perfectly normal if it wasn´t for the equally odd expression on her face.

He didn´t know if this Council meeting that he was requested to attend had anything to do with a reprimand that was been sent his way or a new mission for them to take. Whatever it was, Obi-Wan was palpably nervous. He could feel it in the Force, and what it was even more disturbing, his Master had decided to shield herself from him, leaving him incapable of communicating with her through their bond.

Anakin felt like protesting against the rare situation, but by the moment they arrived at the Council chamber´s doors, it seemed preposterous for him to ask. Without missing a beat, the heavy double doors of the room opened, showing a place that was even darker than night.

He lifted an eyebrow in confusion and called his Master for guidance. But Obi-Wan only walked into the darkness and disappeared from his sight. He imitated her soon after, following the only trail of light that the opened door and the illumination of the hall permitted. He walked with measured steps until he reached the center of the room, knowing this because of the circled figure on the floor, stopping just in the center of the symbol.

Suddenly and without warning, multiple lightsabers hissed to life all around him, in a circle formation. For a minute, he grew scared, absolutely terrified by the action. But thanks to the light of the weapons, he could see the tiny body of Master Yoda standing on his special seat. He turned his head, searching for Obi-Wan´s spot inside the chambers, finding her with her cloak on and her blue lightsaber shining. She wore a smile and sent a wave of peace through their, just a moment ago, muted bond.

His fear quickly turned into an overpowering joy. He knew what this meant. He understood why Obi-Wan was strangely distant, blocking him from their bond so he couldn´t feel the waves of emotion coming from her.

“Step forward, Padawan Skywalker” Master Yoda´s voice instructs him.

Anakin does; eager, shaking with excitement. Kneels bumping down to the floor obediently, looking at Master Yoda´s lightsaber like a man thirsty for water.

His moment has come. The moment when he waited for being recognized for his feats and accomplishments. The moment when his dreams became a reality.

“By the right of the Council” Master Yoda brings his green lightsaber down to one shoulder “by the will of the Force, dub thee I do…” he brings his lightsaber to his other shoulder “…Jedi Knight of the Republic.” And in a quick slash of his lightsaber, he cut his braid off.

He stood up and the dramatic silence and darkness fade from the room, leaving him with a silly smile on his face and a forgotten braid on the floor. The many Masters of the Council turned off their lightsabers, and approached him with a graceful smile to congratulate him. In that moment, he almost forget all the many complains and the many disappointments he ever had with the Jedi. In that moment, he feels like home. He belonged there, in their lines, among them.

He turned around to see his Master standing shyly in a corner, being equally congratulated by some Masters. After all, it´s somehow her accomplishment as well, she had trained him, shaped him, stood beside him.

“Congratulations, Knight Skywalker…” Mace Windu tells him and Anakin smirks incredibly widely at the nice words. Not that Master Windu it´s incapable of them, it just that he doesn´t tend to say them to him.

“Thank you, Master.” He told him politely.

He started talking with the Masters and showering himself with the attention, so much that when he sent a look to the corner of the room where Obi-Wan was, he was surprised sight of realizing she was nowhere to be found.

A part of him wanted to chase after her, although she probably did so to let him enjoy the moment on his own, especially when he did make it out of the Council chambers and he got to see Aubrie and some of his friends like Bultar Swan, even Tru Veld, who used to be Anakin´s best friend in the past, waiting for him with silly grins on their faces.

“We heard about your Knighting” Aubrie told him, grinning.

Anakin looked around the hall to the faces of his friends. All of them smiling at him, even Tru, whose face seemed a bit more discreet with his excitement.

“News fly fast…” he muttered a bit shocked by it.

“They do when you have exclusive insiders…” Aubrie told him, moving her brows in a playful manner.

 _Obi-Wan._ Anakin thought.

“So…” Bultar said, coming forward “…are we going to celebrate or not?”

“Celebrate?” Anakin asked, perplexed.

“Oh, yeah. We ought to celebrate this” the black haired Padawan beamed at him, even more excited than anyone present.

Anakin was about to open his mouth when Aubrie interrupted him.

“Don´t you start, Anakin. I already asked Obi-Wan for permission, she told me to go ahead. So, move along, desert boy.”

Bultar grabbed him by his gloved hand and pulled him in, making him walk with the small entourage of Padawans that had gathered in hopes of celebrating a night out. All of them he knew well, people he had taken classes with when he was younger, people he talked with sometimes in the halls. He didn´t have too many friends, but he wasn´t on his own or completely alone and friendless either.

He smiled and nodded, making some of the younger Padawans smile and almost howl with excitement. Before going along with them, he heard the curious noise of R2-D2 behind him. He stopped and smirked at the droid´s presence, he had really neglected his friend these last days, only spending time with him in the hangar while he occupied himself fixing the ships.

“Hey, buddy!”

R2-D2 beeped loudly, Anakin instantly made a head sign to Aubrie who looked at him with a raised eyebrow. She took a moment and then understood.

“Okay, people, let´s give desert boy some space with his robotic friend…”

Everybody laughed and walked away a few meters, away enough to not hear his conversation.

“What´s with that ´desert boy´ thing…?” he whispers to himself, shaking his head. Turning to R2-D2 once again.

The droid beeps again.

“Hey, hey, I´m sorry. I´ll make it up to you, promise.”

Anakin smiled at the droid´s response, remembering him for the usual companion that typically walked stiffly by the small robot´s side. C3-PO.

The memory of the golden droid sent the image of Padmé to his head. He suddenly felt like running to the Senator to tell him the news but one look at the group of Padawans waiting for him to finish his conversation and join them at their little gathering in celebration of his Knighting, stopped him on his tracks.

He bit his lower lip and looked at R2-D2 waiting for him.

“Hey, buddy, may I ask you a favor?”

The blue-gray robot beeped in affirmation and rolled forward and back in a way that made him smile.

“I need you to deliver this to Padmé. It´s important.”

When he says that, he extends his gloved hand to offer the last shred of his past life. The sign of the beginning of a new one. His Padawan braid.

“I want you to give this to her… for safe keeping.” He says. Something, a noise inside his head tells him that this gift was meant for someone else. Was meant for Obi-Wan. But his heart told him that he yearned for Padmé to have this, to see it.The same way he gave her the hand-made pendant when he was a young boy. When he was afraid. He felt he owe it to her.

“Take this. She will know what it means.”

R2-D2 hesitated it for a minute, beeped and then took it with one of his mechanical claws, saving it.

“Thank you. See you around.” He smiled.

He stood up and faced his fellow Jedi. Smiling at the sight of their own braids, knowing that, for the first time, he was moving forward.

“Let´s go to the Outlander” Anakin decided.

Aubrie grinned and took his hand to guide him to them. He sent one last look at R2-D2, who was rolling away from him. Knowing that everything was as it was meant to be.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

It was dark when he made it home. Anakin frowned at the appearance of his quarters, with all the lights shut and the silence of a lonely unattended room. The young Jedi knew that he had felt his Master´s… his wife´s presence right here.

He had a loud, fun night with the rest of young apprentices, but it was time for him to come back home. He had barely drink, finding that he was more anxious for the sight and presence of Obi-Wan that he was excited about a night out with his friends.

Anakin turned the lights on and closed the door behind him, smelling the familiar scent of the home he knew so well by now. He could feel the warm air beneath his robes, he could taste the last meal he shared with Obi-Wan on the kitchen´s table. He could see every memory of every moment of his life as a Jedi painted on the walls of the rooms. It was home.

But this home wasn´t complete if it didn´t have Obi-Wan in it. Without her, it was just a house. Just an empty room. The same way that the party wasn´t right if Obi-Wan wasn´t by his side.

His feet moved when he was able to sense the female Jedi´s presence once more, confirming him that she was, indeed, inside their quarters, hiding away as if he had offended her, not even capable of congratulate him for what transpire inside the Council Chambers. He could see the door of Obi-Wan´s room, the place that she liked to call “theirs” since they got married but that Anakin still feel it belonged only to Obi-Wan. There, the air smelt like her, like honey and flowers and old books. There´s where he rests and dreams and is able to forget about everything that torments him, of people who chases him around demanding things from him, taking options from his hands, making him feel little and stupid. This is the place he could find himself again, even now, when he was supposed to not need such attention.

He opened the door without much trouble, eyes looking at the shade of light that traveled from the hall onto the room´s rug, the rest of the room was almost pitch dark. Almost, for the light of the moon and the city entered from a window on a wall. When his eyes finally caught sight of it, his mouth went dry and his eyes widened with the picture they were seeing.

Obi-Wan Kenobi stood at the window, looking outside the Temple with a small smile on her lips. She looked angelic and changed, beautiful.

She turned to look at him with a smile still glued to her face and just a special tingle shining through the grey depth of her eyes. Anakin has seen that face so many times before but he cannot tear his eyes away from her. Not when she was looking like that.

Obi-Wan wasn´t wearing her usual Jedi clothes, and certainly not the ones she just wore during his Knighting ceremony. No, instead, Obi-Wan stood by the window dress up in the beautiful wedding gown she wore when they swore love to each other by the water on Naboo, she was wearing her white wedding dress.

Anakin could see the lace shaping the body, falling to the floor and making a pool of white fabric, the pearls on the bodice, the long veil on her head, the blue Morning Mists flowers tangle up over her wavy hair, even the pretty make-up carefully placed on her features. Anakin could see everything and he still couldn´t believe it.

“Obi-Wan…”

The female warrior snorted at his expression.

“What?” she teased “aren´t you going to tell me I´m the most beautiful woman you have ever seen?”

Anakin was speechless and couldn´t compose himself in time to just answer back with some cheeky comment. He knew that was what they used to do in these situations. He knew it was time of the usual friendly banter, but he couldn´t bring himself to do it.

Obi-Wan seemed to not care about his commotion because she only smiled even more, walking up to him slowly, allowing the moon to shine even brighter over the red glow of her hair and the delicacy of her face.

“I don´t know about you…” the red-haired woman whispered in a barely audible sigh “…but to me, you are the most beautiful man I have ever seen.”

Anakin didn´t know when his feet traveled the distance that separated them until he found himself in front of her. Staring at her pretty face from up close, so close that he could touch her with his hand, close enough for him to caress with only his breath. And for the first time since they have actually gotten married, Anakin could see her trembling, staring up at him with the dreamy eyes he knew he used to look up at her when he was nothing but a kid.

She was looking at him as if he was the sun, and Anakin got the small satisfaction of knowing that he was really loved.

 _Finally loved_.

“Obi-Wan…” he whispered.

His other half didn´t respond, she only stared up at him with lost eyes, her thin fingers playing with his outer robes, shaking and insecure. Anakin liked her like that. Like her nervous and wanting, wanted to feel her breath clashing with his hot skin, wanted to see her feel so much that she couldn´t speak.

“Obi-Wan…” he repeated.

She didn´t need to answer, didn´t need to explain. He knew. He understood what this was all about, why she was wearing the dress, why she was wearing make up on her face, why she has forgotten her intricate braids and allowed her red hair to flow down her frame. Why she was afraid and why her heart was pounding so hard against her chest he could feel it on his skin. And he finally understood all her mysterious attitude, her nervousness by the gardens, her disappearance from the Council Chambers. He understood what it meant. Now. Here.

“Obi-Wan…”

Her eyes darkened and her hands almost grew still.

“Just say yes…” Anakin petitioned, his flesh hand raising up to caress her face, slowly, carefully, with so much love.

“Yes…”

There was no hesitation, only action. And act was what Anakin did.

He didn´t know what hit first. Obi-Wan´s back against the mattress or his lips against hers. But soon enough they were both tangled up over the bed they shared, their hands were roaming each other´s bodies and their mouths were devouring themselves in a fight that knew no winner. She felt small underneath him, funny, since Anakin has never thought of Obi-Wan as “small”; to him she has always seemed tall and strong, almost too much. She was slim but not thin and she was shorter than him but definitely not little; Obi-Wan was just perfect. Now, though, she felt fragile and breakable in comparison.

Anakin had to suppress a deep groan coming from the back of his throat when Obi-Wan bit him on his lower lip but only separated himself when he felt the pain of the wound. He brought his flesh hand to the aching skin and saw a tiny spackle of blood, he grinned at the sight and shifted his eyes below, catching Obi-Wan´s victorious smirk.

“You are the death of me…” he swore and attacked.

Next minute, they were back at kissing. Wet, hungry kisses filled with passion and yearning. Obi-Wan´s hands were pulling at the hem of Anakin´s robes, trying to get them out of the way and the younger Jedi couldn´t help himself but to laugh between kisses while trying to reach for her hands.

Anakin, to his great displeasure, had to separate himself from the heavy kissing session at the sight of Obi-Wan´s desperation to get him off the oppressive fabric that covered his body.

Obi-Wan was clearly frustrated, her brows were furrowed and she was pulling at the cloth as if it had offended her. Anakin couldn´t help but giggle between teeth at Obi-Wan´s anger even when he was being manhandle in the process.

“Obi-Wan…” he said, trying to get his attention.

“What!?” the woman almost yelled, still trying to get rid of his robes.

“The belt, Obi-Wan.” Anakin remained her, pointing out at his waist with his eyes and laughing when Obi-Wan´s face turned red.

Before the female could do anything else, Anakin quickly undid his belt and threw it away from the bed, just as fast he started to undo the brown sash that he always wore underneath. Obi-Wan complained almost immediately about him not taking care of his things, more specifically his lightsaber, which was still strapped to his forgotten belt, and finding it in her to scold him like a child in the middle of their first time together. Anakin wished he could say he was surprised at his wife´s protest. He wasn´t.

“At least I got it off, Obi-Wan…” Anakin teased but immediately huffed at a punch that Obi-Wan landed on his stomach.

“Shut up, Anakin” she growled “you are a really piece of…”

Anakin shut her up pulling her to him and kissing her anger away. For the first time, it worked. The female Jedi grabbed his wild hair, which had grew a little during his hard campaigns across the galaxy without his Master by his side ordering him to cut if off; he was glad he didn´t for her small hands were pulling at the strands just right, making him moan. The ex-apprentice imitated her movement and raised his hands to get rid of the long veil that was placed over his wife´s head. He loved the piece of fabric, it made her looked like the angel he knew her to be but it had no place during their love making. He wanted to see her bared, he would not accept nothing else that wasn´t purely hers.

Obi-Wan didn´t seem to care about the loss of the cloth for she didn´t stop their kissing and even moaned when his hands traveled down to the laces of her elaborated dress when he was done with the headpiece. Anakin didn´t pull at soft cords as he would surely have done if he was the boy he was when they just got married, he now appreciated the beauty of Obi-Wan wearing that beautiful gown, and not only because it traced her sculptured figure as if an artist just craved her on stone but because of what it meant. That dress talked about love and commitment, talked about love and peace, talked about love and purity, talked about _love_. And he wanted to feel the fabric against his skin, he wanted to feel the texture of the cloth caressing him, spreading the fire he already felt by Obi-Wan´s kisses. He wanted to drown between the lengths of satin, consumed by the memories it brought.

But Obi-Wan started to kiss down his neck, making him tremble, and surprised by the action and the pleasure he felt, he pulled at them, undoing the top. Obi-Wan´s hands got rid of his robes, of all of them, until he was bare chested, exposed to the eyes of his wife.

Obi-Wan trailed down to his navel, hot wet tongue and soft plush lips. Anakin moaned and threw his head back at the sensation. She escalated back to kiss his lips, and this time, Anakin push his own tongue inside the cavity of her mouth, trying to taste her intimately, to own her completely.

He managed to throw her onto the covers of the bed once again; he was above her and Obi-Wan´s hands were caressing his back, driving themselves dangerously closer to his still clothed backside. It was Anakin´s turn to kiss her on her neck, tasting the sweet white skin and nipping at it waiting for a reaction, the female Jedi moaned at the contact and Anakin smirked against the softness of the place.

“May I…?” Anakin questioned, looking up at her from his position and licking at the jugular.

“Don´t you dare, Anakin…” Obi-Wan warned, knowing well what the younger man meant when he started nipping with his teeth.

“Just a little bit” he whined, sucking at a chunk of neck.

“No marking!” she told him, messing with his hair and pulling at it as a threat. “I don´t want hickies that I cannot explain to the Council.”

“Eww, don´t mention the Council… it puts me off” Anakin said with an ugly face. Obi-Wan laughed and pulled him back to her willing lips.

Anakin didn´t resist at all.

Finding himself impatient when Obi-Wan started looking for friction, pulling and pushing her hips up and down and making him growl at the sensation, he started undo the laces once again, deciding that, after all, he didn´t care about her losing the dress; in any case, he had said he wanted her bared.

Obi-Wan was probably in the same situation for she started pulling at his pants.

“Please tell me your boots are off” she told him between kisses.

Anakin chuckle nervously and started pulling at them, trashing around to be able to reach without removing himself from his sweet position on top of his wife. Obi-Wan rolled her eyes when he saw what he was doing.

“Unbelievable…”

“Shut up, Master…” Anakin growled when he managed to pull one boot off.

“I´m not your Master anymore” Obi-Wan reminded him, pulling at his hair and leaving small kisses at his neck. There was a mixture of sadness and relief in her voice, you could hear it in the way her kisses were softer and sweeter instead of the passionate assault she had been doing since they started ripping each other´s clothes.

“No, you are right…” Anakin agreed, pulling slightly away from her to look at her in the eyes, to see her pink lips all red at being abused by his own. To see the way she stared at him with so much expectation.

There was the sound of the second boot falling to the floor and the noise of his hands pulling his leggings down to make the robes company on the ground.

“…you are my wife.” He sentenced before kissing her again, not leaving room for questions.

From there everything was swift, no more jokes, no more interruptions, just their panting and moaning, their bodies meeting each other and the pulling of the rest of their clothes. Little declarations of love were being told in breaths and sighs, little whimpers when lips met delicate skin.

Anakin managed to finish with the lacings of the beautiful gown and Obi-Wan moved side to side trying to get it off. To Anakin´s surprise, Obi-Wan was already naked underneath and he had to stop to see as the love of her life looked at him, nervously, afraid, not the warrior and serene Jedi she always attempted to be, not that perfect image that the members of the Council saw when they looked at her, not the poster girl of the Republic that the Senate likes to praise. Just Obi-Wan, his wife, his center, his light. The wife who suddenly stood with bare breast with pink small nipples and the most amazing curves he had seen, long hairless legs and her center, that forbidden part he imagined in his dreams, with red curls that covered her modesty only a little bit.

“Don´t stare. It´s rude.” She begged in a whisper.

To him, it looked like she wanted to cry, and Anakin couldn´t allow that misunderstanding to go that way.

“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”

Obi-Wan looked at him and smiled, genuinely smiled, as if she had been waiting to hear just that all these time. Maybe she has. And Anakin got rid of his own modesty in response, until he was also bared.

They came closer slowly, not the rushing they have been doing since this started. Taking their time to look at themselves like this. Following every trace of naked skin. They came close until their breaths mingled, until their mouths met, until their hands intertwined and they fell on the bed they called home once again. Anakin had half a mind to pull at the covers to place Obi-Wan below them, not to cover the lovely sight of her but to separate themselves from the world outside, and definitely not to hide, not here, not in this moment, but unquestionably to shell their union from all that wasn´t them right then.

Anakin started going down and down her neck, reaching her breasts and almost biting the small nipples on the top of her perfect cups. There were rather on the big side, not massive or disproportional, they were round and big enough to spill from his hands. But that wasn´t what he loved about them though, they were a part of Obi-Wan; and like everything that belonged to her, he couldn´t help but loving it too.

Anakin bit her breasts, allowing his tongue to taste the sweet skin there and making sure of putting enough pressure in his nips and licks to make her moan, he smiled when he felt her arched her back with his kisses and smiled at the sound of her gasps.

He trailed down her chest and onto her plane abdomen, getting closer and closer to her center. Obi-Wan grasped the sheets beneath her hands the minute she realized where he was heading. Anakin had never done this before, but he had enough experience with females in the past to know that they enjoyed this as much as men did, so he made sure to tease her with little licks and bites to her hips and tights before reaching his destiny. The minute he did, Obi-Wan inhaled a mouthful of air than in any other occasion Anakin would have mistaken by a gasp of pain.

Obi-Wan´s hands flied to his hair and started moving her hips up and down at the feeling of Anakin´s hot tongue against her clit. The taste was different, but Anakin didn´t expect anything in particular, it was musky and the blond man would actually describe it as rather sweet, like Obi-Wan herself. He started lapping at her center with vertical strokes, sucking on her clit just enough to make his wife gasp and trash around but not enough to drive her to orgasm.

The female Jedi put one of her fingers between her teeth while she untangled her other hand from his hair to grasp the pillow where she rested her head, hair still adorned with blue flowers. Anakin stared at her from his position, working her until he could feel her tremble.

“Anakin…” the woman moaned his name while furrowing her brows. Anakin grinned at the sight.

He could feel himself get ridiculously hard at the sound of his name between whispers, groans and pleads. But he had to be patient, he wanted this to last. He wanted it to be perfect, although it was getting difficult for him to resist his urges when he could hear her enjoying herself with his ministrations.

Anakin decided that it was time to prepare her body for the intrusion of his member, knowing that females needed to be ready or else it would just end up hurting her. He started to roam his flesh fingers around the entrance of her vagina, spreading the wetness that it had formed by Obi-Wan´s excitement and Anakin´s own saliva.

“I want to hear you, Obi-Wan…” he implored, working his fingers closer and closer to the place he knew she wanted him to touch while his tongue still worked her clit with diligence, not allowing her any rest.

“Anakin…”

“Ask me nicely…” He told her. Lapping harder and caressing her more and more.

“Just put it in!” she half moaned half screamed.

Anakin grinned at the explosive response and slowly work the tip of his finger in and out. Obi-Wan turned her head to one side of the pillow, denying Anakin of the pleasure of the sight of her features contorted with delight. Anakin added two fingers in response, he could hear her whimper then, the sound almost driving him to orgasm without being touched.

“Fuck, you are so tight…” he whispered, imagining how those humid walls would feel around his cock instead of on his fingers. He shuddered at the thought.

Obi-Wan started to move up and down again, hips seeking more friction, trying to get him deeper inside her. Anakin didn´t think then, he moved upwards, desperate, forgetting all his plans of taking things slow. He wanted her now. Needed her.

Anakin pulled her to him until their hips were aligned, grasping his unattended dick that was leaking pre-come and trembling with excitement. He couldn´t take it anymore, he needed to have her.

Obi-Wan looked up at him through half-lidded eyes, her usual light grey orbs were obscured by desire and lust. She was so absorbed in the moment that she didn´t seem to react to Anakin´s hard hands grabbing her by the hips and pulling her to him with obvious intent. Anakin stopped his fast movements when he saw her, though. He stopped for a minute and then moved forward and kissed her lips; the action was intense but he took care of moving their lips slowly, the contact was meant to tell her she could trust him with this, that he wasn´t going to hurt her.

Obi-Wan responded with the same passion and only separated their lips to nod at him, understanding the message. Anakin aligned his member with her entrance, bothering to wet his cock with her juices in preparation while he didn´t allow his eyes to leave Obi-Wan´s.

With a slow pushing motion, his member started to enter her and he could feel Obi-Wan jump slightly at the sensation. Anakin advanced until he reached a wall; he smiled immediately, knowing well what it meant. He always thought Obi-Wan was a virgin, mostly because he had never seen her giving any special attention to anyone else that it wasn´t him while she had trained him, but there was always the possibility that she wasn´t, that she had, discreetly, her secret affairs. He shouldn´t be jealous of that, of course; but the irrational part of him, the possessive side he knew well he had was burning with the sole assumption or possibility that she had shared herself with someone else that wasn´t him.

With a hard push, he got to break the delicate yet strong membrane that protected her, that proved she had never been taken before. Obi-Wan whimpered and twisted her face in pain the moment he did, and he stopped instantly fearing he could cause her more grief.

“Obi-Wan…” he whispered in almost a question, touching her face with the tips of his metal fingers.

The female Jedi didn´t answer, she only started to breathe deeper and shifted her hips a little, searching for a more comfortable accommodation.

“Shh, shh, it´s okay” he reassured her “I can stop if you want…”

He didn´t want to stop, but he would if she was hurting.

“No” she said with a trembling voice “I´m fine, go on…”

Anakin wasn´t so sure but a hard look sent by Obi-Wan told him that she really wanted him to continue and even if she were lying, she was not going to let him know, she would eat her lightsaber first than to admit she was hurting; he nodded and started to push harder until he was all the way inside.

Obi-Wan gasped and tried to knot her legs across his lower back by instinct, Anakin helped her to position herself and gently kissed her brow for comfort.

“You tell me to move when you are ready…” he instructed her. She nodded quietly.

Although to be honest, Anakin was having a hard time not moving; the only thing stopping him was the expression full of pain that Obi-Wan had made the minute he had gotten inside her. Her walls were tight and hot, caressing and hugging his cock just right and it was difficult not to come from the sensation alone. He couldn´t even imagine how the friction of the thrusting would feel like. He had being touched down there before, but it was usually by some other girls’ mouth or hand, not this, never this.

He had always thought that he was meant to share this with Obi-Wan and only her, the same way he had hoped that she will save herself for him. She did. And Anakin could say it was definitely worth the wait.

“Anakin…” she whispered, opening her eyes once again, relaxing the hard expression of her face.

“Yes, dear?” he asked with a small caress.

“Move…”

Anakin took the command like a soldier and started rocking in and out slowly, careful to not cause her pain once more. Her breasts started to rise and fall against his chest and Anakin entertained her by kissing her neck in a passionate manner, groaning here and there by the sensation of being inside her core. Soon enough, Obi-Wan´s sighs of pain turned into little whimpers of pleasure and Anakin shifted his hips trying to find the right angle that would make her scream.

Obi-Wan raised her hands to his hair, pulling at it in an effort to contain her moans.

“Moan for me, Obi-Wan. Come on…” he begged, started to pump harder and faster.

“Anakin… ah, ah” she growled obediently.

The blond man couldn´t help the shudders at hearing his name falling from her lips, at Obi-Wan following his commands to the letter; he started thrusting harder, faster, hearing the slap of his balls against the tender skin of her pussy. Obi-Wan could feel herself trying to reach something, she didn´t know what or how to get there, but it was a burning sensation on her lower belly that was driving her crazy. It felt so good, so right, and she couldn´t help moan louder and pulling at the short strands of Anakin´s hair harder, trying to reach that magical place.

“Kriff, Kriff…” Anakin whispered across Obi-Wan´s skin. His thrusting was now almost brutal, not holding back his passion as the inner walls of his perfect wife milked him and squeeze him tightly. When he felt that Obi-Wan pulled his hair once again, he was done.

Without being able to hold back any longer, he came. He wanted to scream but fearing they could be heard, he bit the space between Obi-Wan´s shoulder and neck instead, trying to silence his deep groans. The red-haired woman gasped at the feeling of Anakin´s teeth and jumped a little at the sensation of a hot, wet liquid being emptied inside her body.

Anakin slowed his thrusting and sobbed with the aftershocks of the most powerful orgasm he had ever experienced.

When he had calmed down, he let go of Obi-Wan´s skin and raised his eyes to see a very frustrated Obi-Wan laying down beneath him. He tilted his head to the side not knowing why his wife looked as if she was still needing something, when he noted the small movements of hips raising, searching some friction beneath him.

“Oh!” he realized “…you didn´t… you didn´t come.” Anakin recognized with sudden shock on his face.

Obi-Wan didn´t answer, all blushed and sweaty by their exertion, but the look on her face told him the truth. She hadn´t.

“Oh, kriff!” he embarrassingly gasped, trying to get in position once again, even though his member was growing soft “I can… um, I can still…”

“It´s okay…” his companion assured him with a soft voice.

“No, no, Obi-Wan it´s not okay” he interrupted her, even more embarrassed by Obi-Wan´s attempt to humor him. “I can still… do it, if you want to.”

“I don´t know what I´m supposed to do…” she said, biting her lower lip.

Anakin mumbled a bit before pulling out of her, and almost smiling at the little gasp that Obi-Wan made by their separation, falling to his side next to her bared form, he directed one of his hands onto her center again, rubbing her clit in a circular motion while two of his fingers pump in and out of her wet hole, Obi-Wan started to shake again and her hands grasped the sheets in search of stability.

“Move… like that… very good.” He instructed, seeing how the female Jedi tried to move her body to accentuate her pleasure without knowing exactly what to do. 

“Anakin…”

The sight of her red face and his own hands back on her core started to send messages to his spent member. He was young and eager, and his cock reacted at the erotic vision before him, the perfect expressions of his wife´s angelic face.

In record time, he was hard again, and Anakin silently thanked the Force for his youth and stamina. He quickly knew how he wanted her to come. With him inside her, with her walls clinching around him. Making her his once more.

Without pre-amble, he positioned on top of her, separating her legs just enough to fit himself between them, quickly replacing his hands with his cock, and seeing her arching her back at the sensation of being filled once again.

He rocked hard and fast, in and out, directing his flesh hand on her clit, still rubbing and allowing her to feel him everywhere, his mechanical hand grasping one of her breasts, his legs and knees making an effort to support the whole weight of his body while he watched her pull herself through the sheets, to impale herself onto him, following his tempo.

“Anakin, oh, Force, fuck….” She cursed, losing control and not caring about how she got her pleasure.

“Yes, like that, princess… just like that.” He praised, feeling himself getting close again.

“More, more, Anakin…”

“Almost there, my angel” he assured her, pistoling his hips trying to hit her just right.

After a couple of thrusts, Obi-Wan screamed his name and Anakin felt her walls trapped him inside, pulling at his skin, making him come too.

“Obi-Wan!”

“Anakin!”

He could almost feel the Force tremble with their combined orgasms. He was trying to avoid being noisy but at the end he couldn´t help himself with the many sensations he was feeling. He had thought his first climax was amazing but it didn´t compare to the sensation he got when he shared the experience with Obi-Wan. The aftershocks were sending waves and waves of pleasure and Anakin laughed at the spent and tired look on Obi-Wan´s face.

She smiled to him too when she regained her composure and caught him looking down at her. She was radiant in the Force, he could feel it. She was like a beacon of light, like a star that had exploded in the infinity of space but that it had not died. It had only born again.

“Are you okay?” he murmured between breaths.

“I´m great…” she whispered.

Anakin pulled himself out of her and winced at the oversensitivity of his now flaccid member. Finally falling beside her.

Obi-Wan closed her eyes and tried to re-adjust herself, thanking the Force that she had made sure of blocking her connection with Aubrie before all of these had started, she would have surely woke her up from her sleep with the enormous amount of vibrations that she had sent through the Force.

“I hope nobody heard us…” the female Jedi begged.

Anakin snorted.

“Yeah, right. I hoped nobody cares to ask questions, we almost tore the place down…”

Obi-Wan chuckled and settled on her place on the bed, looking beside her at the sweaty and tired form of her husband, really not caring if the whole Temple knew what they just did. She was as happy as she could be, and she felt complete.

Anakin looked at her in the eye, his own orbs shining and a silly smile on his full lips.

“Did you like it?” he asked, voice shaky with a sudden sense of insecurity. Has he been good? Has he been enough?

“I don´t have a point of comparison…” Obi-Wan informed him in her usual clinical way, Anakin almost twists his face with apprehension at the cold approach “… but I will say that it was the most full-filling and satisfying experience of my life.”

Anakin smiled brightly at that.

“I enjoyed it, Anakin. Truly.” She told him, raising a hand to his face.

“Good. I enjoyed it too.” He kissed her palm “It was amazing.”

Next, he pulled her to him, accommodating himself on the big bed and placing Obi-Wan´s head on his chest. His arms encircling her waist and using the Force to pull the covers over them.

“I saw that…” Obi-Wan told him with a sleepy mumble. Still finding the energy in her to protest against the misuse of the Force.

“Hush, now.” Anakin chuckled “Sleep.”

It was a command easy to follow. And soon enough both were falling in a pleasant dream; the two of them seeing the same vision: two lovers by the water of Naboo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LONGEST-CHAPTER-EVER!
> 
> Guys, right now I have two weeks of school left and I need to give my best so I don´t know if I´m going to be updating this next weeks, that´s why I tried to do this as long as possible. This chapter was really stressful but I made it. And LOOK! We finally made it to the M content. I hope you all enjoyed that because I have no idea what I was doind while writing the Smut. 
> 
> I´m going to give you some facts so you would understand some themes better. This story relies in Expanded Universe content. From here I will stick as much as I can with the current canon. So for all those who don´t know about A´Sharad Hett he was a Jedi Knight from Tatooine who was raised as a Tusken Raider, (although he is actually human) he wears the mask to honor his tribe and Anakin and him used to be friends when Anakin was younger. But after the incident with the Tusken Raiders, Anakin grew cold towards him because of his race. If you are interested in knowing how A´sharad found out about Anakin´s killing of the Tuskens you can read the comic. It´s Star Wars: Republic Issue #59 comics by Dark Horse. A´sharad learned about his secret and actually decided to keep quiet, telling Anakin that he was walking a dark path and that he should be the one confessing to the council what he did. He also witnesses Anakin inhability to heal with the Force, this was because all the negative emotions that Anakin had inside, since we all know the dark side of the Force actually can´t heal, only hurt. If you want to know more I won´t spoil it to you, you can read it, it´s good stuff.
> 
> About some other characters I mentioned, there is Tru Veld, another character from the expanded universe, it was Anakin´s best friend from the novels alongside Darra Thel-Tanis. Because of an incident that happen during a mission where Anakin accidentally provoke the death of Darra out of spite and a beef with the Padawan Ferus Olin, Tru decided to break his friendship with Anakin. That´s why he is described as being happy but also weary of Anakin´s promotion.
> 
> I hope you like it, see you next chapter :)


	14. Clone Wars: Changes (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Explicit Sexual Content in this Chapter

 

Blaster fire. That was all that he could recognize while the hot blazing licks of combustion danced around him. The blue plasma of his weapon was the only thing able to defend him from the continuous attacks and bolts that came from the enemies with the sole mission to kill him.

“Anakin, to your right!”

The blonde warrior quickly dodged a clear hit and swiftly rebutted with a slash of his sabre to end the enemy´s immediate treat.

“Thank you!” He exclaimed while he busied himself with more attack droids that came his way.

“I live to serve…” was the easy response of his Master, the love of his life, his wife, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Anakin couldn´t help but smirk at the sight of the war General spinning around and cleaning the path for him to run straight to enemy lines to end this storm of fire; the skillful woman moving all over the place with the grace of a professional dancer could be as beautiful as she was deadly. If he ever doubted his own feelings towards the female Jedi, any shadow of a doubt was easily dissipated in that moment. She was perfect. And he was crazy for her.

“Do we have a plan to finish this?” He enquired, shaking himself out of his daydreaming and taking an opening kindly given by his wife, running wildly and slashing droids in perfect halves.

“Do not worry, my young former apprentice. Help is on the way.” She let him know, finishing her own batch of enemies with her mighty weapon.

Anakin snorts at the mention of the long nickname.

“We have been at this for almost an hour now…” he reminds her.

Obi-Wan´s back brushes his when they take the familiar formation they preferred the most when surrounded by enemy forces. There are smiles of amusement on both of their faces, not fearing the numbers nor the odds against them.

“Oh, don´t tell me you are getting tired, Anakin…” she mocks while blocking some enemy fire.

“No...” The blonde Jedi responds dragging the last letter, grinning with his own enjoyment. “This is just getting repetitive, that´s all.”

The minute the excuse is out of his mouth, the melodious laughter of Obi-Wan starts behind him.

“Well, you don´t have to whine anymore.” She reassured him, pointing at the sky above them “Help is here.”

Between the slashes and blocks of their lightsabers, Anakin can see their fleet finally arriving and hundreds of clone troopers descending from the aircrafts to assist them. The distinctive figure of Aubrie coming alongside with them, holding her own matching blue saber in one of her hands, makes Anakin grin with amusement.

“Obi-Wan…” he calls right before jumping over her head to finish the droids that were trying to engulf them with their blasters shots. Obi-Wan lifted one of her eyebrows at the exasperated tone on Anakin´s voice.

“Yes, dear?” she whispers back with adopting a teasing voice on her own while also taking care of the forgotten batch of droids he left when he took Obi-Wan´s side.

“I. Do. Not. Whine.” He barked between every slash of his weapon.

“Oh, I wouldn´t say that…” Aubrie answers on the Jedi Master´s place, joining their little group excitingly.

“A little too late to the party don´t you think?” Anakin inputs while redirecting some fire back to the enemies.

“Better to be late than never show up at all, I would say…” she replies throwing a kick to a stray droid that got too close to Obi-Wan without her notice.

“That was one time!” Anakin complains.

“Down you two!” Obi-Wan warns right before throwing herself to the ground. Anakin and Aubrie imitate her on unison like a perfect programed clock. After a couple of months of special joined training right after his knighthood, Aubrie and Anakin had gotten so used to each other that they could function as one unit without much effort; as it turned out, they are perfectly attuned with one another when it comes to battle.

While they rested on the cold ground, small pieces of metal and shrapnel flied over their bodies and the dust settled around them as a light smoke. Anakin coughed on the sleeve of his tunic and Aubrie buried her face on the rough fabric of her robe to cover her eyes from any strand pieces.

“General?...”

The voice of clone Commander Cody filled the intercom between them and Obi-Wan raised to her feet at the familiar calling.

“We are here, Cody.” She reports.

“The sector is clear, sir.”

Anakin snorts at the announcement as if was redundant and Aubrie silently imitates her Master, rising and calling her saber that laid forgotten on the floor close to Anakin´s feet, to which the young Knight can´t help but smirk at her, Aubrie narrowed her golden eyes in silent warning, telling him not to make any bad jokes about it.

“Last time you said that, Cody, we ended up with a battalion of droids shooting at us from the back…” Obi-Wan remarks with abandon while cleaning some dirt from her outer tunic, Cody chuckles from the other side of the intercom, probably remembering such occasion.

“Tell Rex to bring the ships, I´m getting tired of this planet…” Anakin growls between his teeth when he gets to stand up from his position on the floor.

“I thought you liked to fight, Anakin” his sister-Padawan mutters while she shakes the dust from her robes.

“Only when it´s exciting” he corrects, winking at the younger Jedi, making her buff at the clear sign of arrogance. “This…” Anakin points with his finger “…turned boring a long time ago.”

“If you two are done with your pissing contest, we shall go to the ships to finally leave this place.” Obi-Wan informs them while walking to the small crafts landing close by. Anakin smirks at the sight of the leader of his legion, Captain Rex, waiting for him inside one of the ships.

He has had only a couple of months with him but Anakin already adores the man, probably in a similar fashion that Obi-Wan seems to like her own clone Commander, Cody. At the very beginning, the two men were almost identical in behavior, speaking with the same tone and using the same mannerisms; that, of course, until they were broken into their respective Generals moods, personalities and procedures. Now, both Cody and Rex, were different as they could be, each one taking after their own General proudly.  

The minute Obi-Wan, Anakin and Aubrie got inside the ship beside their men, the crafts took off to get them straight to their assigned flagship, a gigantic ship capable of housing thousands of clones and weaponry alike.

The truth behind Anakin´s impatience to leave the planet wasn´t really being tired of the fighting, although he was ready to go back to the Temple and away from the long hours of planning and battling that involved the exhausting campaigns of war. The reason was that Anakin only wanted to get his wife in the privacy of their assigned quarters so he could have some alone time with her. She was always only a few meters away from him, but when Obi-Wan was on duty it was difficult to get her to open up and behave like a married couple would, and when he tried to be a little more amorous with her, she always sent him a look of disapproval between narrowed eyes.

He was craving to touch her once again, after not having the opportunity to do so for some nights now.

When their craft landed inside the hangar of the great flagship, Aubrie got out and started stretching and saying something about taking a well-deserved bath after the regular small briefing they usually do with their clone Commanders after every mission. Obi-Wan smiled at the suggestion and followed her the entire way to the strategy room, the place where every conference took place, chatting excitingly as if Anakin wasn´t there and wasn´t needing her at the moment.

A pathetic whine almost makes it out of the male Jedi´s throat at the sight of Obi-Wan walking away and not noticing his desperate crave for attention.

“A rough mission, Sir?” Rex asked beside him, misinterpreting his long face.

Anakin turned his head to the man wearing the white and blue armor instantly “Not at all, Rex. I´m just getting tired of this blasted war, that´s all.”

“I think you speak for all of us when you say that, Sir.”

“The only thing I want is to go back to Coruscant and lay low for a couple of days, at the very least.”

Rex chuckled behind his blue and white helmet.

“I´ll make sure to tell the Seps that, Sir.” He jests.

The silly briefing ends up being longer than Anakin expected, especially since Obi-Wan called the Council to report to Master Windu and the rest of the remaining Masters. Anakin tried not to roll his eyes every time Windu asked about the details of the battle and the fate of the data chip they went to recover from Separatist clutches, the little device contained some delicate coded information of Republic strategies and weaponry being created, which they recovered before the battalion of droids discovered and attacked them.

Anakin´s blue eyes were staring at Obi-Wan´s face the entire meeting, taking note of the soft movements of the woman´s lips and the polite tone on her voice, but mostly, being taken by her simple beauty the duration of the briefing. When the report was done, Anakin tried to send Obi-Wan signs that she could understand that he wanted to be with her alone, it wasn´t until he tugged their mental bond that the woman seemed to notice him and sent a quick look on his direction. Anakin nodded quietly towards the door, and the woman tried to finish her conversation with Cody a little bit faster.

When she was done, the auburn Master walked beside him in complete silence to his quarters. In normal circumstances, they would share the room but with Aubrie now being on their team, it didn´t make a lot of sense for the both of them being assigned together when Obi-Wan had an apprentice of her own. And although Anakin loved Aubrie fiercely now, considering her being the sister he never had, he would be lying if he didn´t say he resented the little fact that she took some time of Obi-Wan away from him.

When they entered Anakin´s rooms and the door was locked and secured behind Obi-Wan´s back, he quickly pushed her against the metal wall beside the entrance, right in the middle of her asking him why he had brought her there.

His lips melted against the female Jedi´s, and a small gasp found its way out of Obi-Wan´s lips before the only sound between them was the smack of their wet mouths. The female Master grasped the fabric of Anakin´s leather tabards with her small hands, sort of pulling and pushing him away at the same time, and Anakin´s mechanical gloved hand gripped her tiny waist while his flesh one tangled on Obi-Wan´s braids.

A few minutes passed between them, with Anakin devouring his wife´s mouth while the redheaded woman fought between giving in or separating herself from the man´s body; when Anakin did, he quickly lower his head to attack her neck.

“Anakin…” she moaned at the feeling of the young man´s teeth on her tender skin “…What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” he growled, nipping at the soft nape, one hand pulling at the brown under-tunic that she has taken to wear under her usual light Jedi standard robes.

Obi-Wan pushed him on the shoulder, requesting some distance that Anakin denies to grant, he has been away from her skin way too long and he can´t permit himself to be interrupted.

“This is not the time nor the place…” she mutters close to his ear. Anakin growls at that and lifts his head to look at her in the eyes.

“It has been too long since we last did it…” he complains, hands still tugging at the robes covering Obi-Wan´s body.

“Well, we´ve been busy.” She reminds him, turning her eyes from his fast working hands to his blue eyes.

“Yes, and we are not anymore” he reminds her, pressing her harder against the cold wall “I need this. Please, I´ve been good, haven´t acted out during the last three missions, just let me have you now…” he begs between kisses and nips at her lips, face and neck.

“Small mercies…” she sarcastically responds just to gasp when she feels one of Anakin´s strong legs between her tights, pressing at her center between the fabric of her leggings.

“Last night I masturbated thinking of you…” he confesses without shame, biting the joint between neck and shoulder the minute he freed it from the cage of fabric. “I came thinking of the last time I fucked you back at home, against the counter, do you remember?” he growls seductively.

“Force…” Obi-Wan whispers, blushing at the sound at the filthy words of her husband.

“It was so good, Obi-Wan. I remember how I laid you over the table and eat you out until you came from my tongue alone.”

“Shut up” she pleads, slapping him on the back, while the skillful hands of Anakin undid her belt and trashed against the openings of her tunics. “No more…”

“Force, Obi-Wan, your face, I will never forget your face when you came…” he licks her earlobe slowly, his breath hot against her sensitive skin. “It makes me hard just to think about it…” he whispers, pulling one of her hands and placing it against his impressive erection that remains trapped inside his pants.

“Anakin, Force, the things you say…” she gasps louder, surprised when Anakin places both of his arms below her ass and lifts her so he could carry her to his bed.

The minute her body hits the bedding, Anakin is all over her, blue eyes darkened by lust and his breath hot against her face. Obi-Wan suddenly felt herself growing nervous by the prospect of making love with Anakin, even though they have been doing it quite regularly since their first time a few months ago. After the night she finally decided to share herself with her husband, Anakin has not been shy about sex; he had tried more often than not to corner her in any available space inside their chambers to touch her and have his way with her; if Obi-Wan let him, most of their time will be spent in their bed.

Anakin lowered to trace the tip of his nose on the side of her face and down her neck, provoking goosebumps along the way. When the young Knight was done with her tunics, he threw them away beside the bed, and quickly untangled the careful bidding she keeps over her breasts. Obi-Wan whimpered the minute she felt the cold air of the room against the usually tightly covered skin, and she blushed red when she noticed the greedy smirk on Anakin´s plump lips at the sight of her completely unbound.

“You are so beautiful, Obi-Wan” he whispers almost to himself, lowering again to kiss her shoulders and collarbone.

Obi-Wan´s hands come to his large back and pulls at the fabric of his dark tunic, indicating her desire to free him of the oppressive clothes.

Anakin concedes and starts working on his belt without pulling away from her or stopping his ministrations. She moans when he reaches a nipple and pulls with his teeth, one of her hands getting lost on the golden strands of his hair that is now fairly long, having it grown from his previous standard Padawan cut.

Obi-Wan hears the sound of Anakin´s lightsaber hilt hitting the ground and then the distinguishable soft ruffle of clothes being pushed away, and when Anakin pulls away to free himself from his glove and the rest of his tunics, Obi-Wan gasps at the familiar yet always breath-taking sight of Anakin´s athletic well-formed chest. She can´t resist to raise her hand so her fingers can graze the golden skin of his pectorals, feeling her desire grow, biting her lips so she doesn´t whimper with need.

Anakin comes back to her, kissing her with renew passion and incredible devotion. Obi-Wan quickly forgets all of her previous objections and gets lost in the moment and the explosion of desire that comes from within her, realizing that she has missed this almost just as much as he did. It´s easy for her to forget her own needs, used to place other people´s requirements and requests before hers, after all, she has been doing so since she was a teenager, taking care of a Padawan from a young age. Suddenly, the prospect of indulging on her carnal desire doesn´t seem so wrong.

Before any of them realizes, they are laying naked with only the soft regulatory blanket of Anakin´s cot over their sweaty bodies. The friction between their skin feels delicious and makes them both moan, their hands worshipping each other´s bodies with passion and lips caressing skin between half-made promises of love. When they are both satisfied with the teasing of their hands and the usual foreplay that it comes with sex, they lose themselves into their own desperation to become one once more.

When Anakin enters her, Obi-Wan is all but impatient, she crosses her legs on the small of his back and grasps him by the shoulders. Anakin kisses her neck while he grunts by the infinite pleasure of being inside her. They began to rock with slow deliberate movements that grow with speed as times go by and their bodies demand more.

“Fuck, yes…” Anakin growls when Obi-Wan´s inner walls squeeze particularly hard.

“Anakin…” She gasps in turn, absorbed by the moment.

“Just like that, Obi-Wan. You feel so good, baby.” He promises when he starts to pound harder and faster. When he feels Obi-Wan is close he pulls away, rudely interrupting her climax and making her grunt with disappointment.

The female Jedi is about to protest when Anakin grasps her hips and pulls her closer to him, with a quick movement, he turns her around on her stomach. He rushes her to kneel on the mattress, placing Obi-Wan on hands and knees, carefully kicking her legs apart for more space.

Obi-Wan can hardly complain before Anakin is inside her again, his long thick member going in and out even faster than before. The Jedi Master cannot see her husband from her position, being stuck at staring at the grey metallic wall in front of her, but she can imagine the way they must look now. Anakin kneeling behind her, taking her rough and fast, the way he likes it the most, the quick powerful movement of his hips snapping against her backside, and his hands, both flesh and mechanic, grasping the globes of her ass apart to have a perfect look of his cock fucking her.

How _uncivilized_.

Anakin leans forward and embraces her from behind, his chest barely separated from her back as his long legs go wider and position themselves on each side of Obi-Wan´s body as his hips move faster, his body trembling alongside hers.

“Kriff, kriff, kriff, I´m so close…” he cries, the pounding growing erratic and the dirty sound of the slaps of their bodies filling the room alongside their moans and grunts and the smell of dirty, desperate sex.

“Anakin, oh, Force…” she manages to say before her arms fail her and her face falls burying itself on the sheets beneath her. Anakin doesn´t stop his assault and chases his orgasm alongside with hers.

“Fuck, yeah, kriff, yessss…” he says when he feels her tremble one last time and even whines when she finally comes.

One, two, three more humps and he is there just as well. Anakin growls so loud and from a place so deep that almost sounds like a wild animal on the loose and not a human being. Some part of Obi-Wan´s mind that is not currently shaken by her powerful orgasm and the aftershocks, silently thanks the fact that she had built a barrier around the room before any of this went out of hands.

Anakin is tightly grasping her hips and not allowing her to escape, his cock still pulsing inside her and emptying his seed without care. Obi-Wan is hardly a fountain of knowledge when it comes to carnal activities but she is pretty sure that her husband´s ejaculation process is quite too much, he seems to take his time to come every time they do it, staying inside more than she thinks normal because he is still coming through the afterglow.

Anakin grunts deep once more when another load is shot inside her before she tries to pull away. Anakin holds her still and pulls her down beside him on the bed, still inside her. One of his arms rounds her at the waist and keeps her close while he arranges the covers over them.

“What are you doing?” she asks with a quiet whisper.

“It´s obvious. Trying to sleep.” He replies, nuzzling her nape.

“Well, you can let me go now.” She reminds him.

“Nope.” He declares “I want to keep you like this, with me inside you.”

“That´s disgusting. I want to shower.”

“Tomorrow. Sleep.”

“Anakin… I´m not sleeping here” she lets him know. “It´s bad enough that we have sex where we can get caught.”

“It´s not like they are going to walk in on us, Obi-Wan. These are my quarters not the communal rooms.” He grunts, shifting slightly.

“My point exactly. I shouldn´t be here for any extended period of time. Now, let me go.” She insists while trying to free herself from his hug, Anakin grunts in disapproval but lets her go anyway.

Obi-Wan stands up on all her naked glory and Anakin stares at her figure with half-lidded eyes, admiring her beauty as she pulls her hair and undone braids away from her sweaty sticky back. She is truly a sight to behold, even in the darkened room.

The female Jedi walks through the room collecting her discarded clothes and making her way to the fresher.

“Do you have a plug or something?” Anakin lazily asks, stretching over the softness of his sheets.

Obi-Wan turned her head to look at him with a strange expression on her face the minute she heard the words.

“Pardon me?”

“A plug.” He repeats, shrugging casually “I would like to keep you full of my seed if possible.”

Obi-Wan´s face shrinks and makes a funny expression before she throws one of his boots at his face with disgust.

“Gross, Anakin!” she yells before rushing to the bathroom, trying to hide her body from his peering eyes as if he hadn´t been inside her just moments ago.

Anakin laughed at his wife´s reaction, expecting it in full and enjoying tormenting her from time to time. He finally lies back on the bed and settles against the pillow that smells like Obi-Wan still, falling asleep in mere seconds without much struggle, dreaming with his wife´s grey vivid eyes looking back at him.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Anakin was eating at the communal cafeteria of the flagship, feeling fresh and free from a well needed shower and particularly excited because he was just informed by Rex that they were close to Coruscant and will be landing on the city-planet in several hours. After his satisfying sexual encounter with his wife, Anakin felt liberated in more ways than one, he felt suddenly years younger after getting rid of all the tension of the last weeks, and smirked at the thought that the only solution for all of his stress problems was mind-blowing sex with Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Knight was already asleep before the Jedi Master made it out of the fresher and when he finally woke up it was to his comm-unit beeping with a wakeup call from Rex calling him to let him know the good news of them approaching home.

Obi-Wan has being busy since the moment he woke up. He has had the opportunity to see her around a couple of times since the morning, and every time she has being reading reports, discussing some war strategy with some clone or making important calls; the first time they have connected eyes, Anakin had smirked widely and knowingly, even winked at her in obvious intent, Obi-Wan had glared at him with not much humor and looked completely miffed and amused by his silly behavior, it had only made Anakin grin harder. 

Right now, though, the young Knight enjoyed his midday meal, eyeing the busy crowd of the communal rooms as Aubrie showed up with her own trey and walked through the busy tables filled with clone troopers nodding and saluted her as she went, she politely smiling back at them and sometimes even stopping for some small talk. Anakin stared at her as she made her way to his table, taking the seat in front of his without any permission. Not that she needed any.

“You seem on better spirits today” she commented while smiling at him. Anakin chewed his bite of nerf-meat before frowning at her statement.

“What do you mean?” he wondered.

“You weren’t your usually excited self during the battles these last missions.”

Anakin took a drink from his cup. “I’m rather tired. I want to go back to the Temple.”

“Aha…” Aubrie smirks while imitating his action and taking a gulp of her own glass.

Anakin’s frown deepened at that and he crossed his arms over his chest.

“What’s that supposed to be?”

“Well, Anakin, every person with eyes can see that is not the idea of going back to the Temple that has you all excited and bothered…”she smirks at him and makes a dismissal movement with her hand.

For a minute, Anakin grows still, worrying that Aubrie knew something more than she appeared to do. Obi-Wan was always careful to not show anything, not even a hint of her possible thoughts or emotions regarding the true nature of her relationship with him. Especially not in front of Aubrie, who is her Padawan and also suspected something fishy going on between them a long time ago.

The Jedi Knight feels himself growing defensive, flinching and almost baring his teeth at the female in front of him that was carelessly teasing him and dangerously prodding around personal affairs that didn’t concern her. Since that night in their private kitchen, Anakin never dared to speak against Aubrie again, at least not openly. And, although, he was out of line that day and his feelings towards Aubrie had changed, that doesn’t mean he was not going to put Obi-Wan’s sake first. He would protect her, even from friends if needed.

“Speak clearly, Aubrie. You are only talking in riddles.” He growled low.

“Everybody knows about you and the Senator… or at the very least, people suspects.” She snorts right before taking a bite of her own food.

Anakin blinks a couple of times in total confusion. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Come on, don’t be silly.”

“I’m not…” he confesses, shrugging and looking entirely affronted. “Listen, I don’t know what you have heard around here but if you are talking about Padmé…”

“I am. That sweet Senator is the only real reason you want to come back to Coruscant.” She assures him as if she knew better.

Anakin stays still and silent for a moment. He had not expected any of these rumors to be circling, and judging by Aubrie´s tone it seems to be well spread ones. It is true that when he is back home he enjoys to visit the Senator of Naboo at her apartments, he had even gone as far as to stay in and sleep over her place, but those occurrences are always in friendly nature and nothing of the romantic sort.

“And everybody believes this, you say?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Are you going to tell me it isn´t true?”

“Of course, it´s bantha shit.” Anakin shrugs, taking another bite from his meal, secretly thankful that it was actually far from the truth and that the rumors weren´t involving Obi-Wan and him. “After all, attachments are forbidden.”

There is a small silence between them when Aubrie suddenly speaks.

“It´s not like it has stopped you before…”

Anakin´s grip on his fork it becomes hard enough to snap the small cutlery. He sends her a hard glare and an ugly low growl.

“Leave it.”

Aubrie seems eager to object but she quickly backtracks and decides to remain quiet and Anakin silently thanks the Force for that, not knowing if he was going to be able to keep his cool if she dared to tempt him.

After some uncomfortable silence, they eventually restart their banter, talking about everything and nothing at all, they find themselves falling in the easy jokes they always made about each other, forgetting their previous conversation.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“Finally free!”

“Anakin, please…” Aubrie snorted beside the overexcited Jedi Knight.

They have just arrived to the Jedi Temple´s hangar, and the minute the ship lowered on the premises, Anakin had run like a bat escaping from Mustafar´s hell and ordered the clones to open the ramp and dragged both, Aubrie and Obi-Wan, alongside with him to the main entrance of the ship.

“Finally…home.” Anakin whistles with joy, ignoring Aubrie´s protests.

Obi-Wan lifted an eyebrow in clear amusement.

“If only you were this excited about the Jedi Temple when you were a child, maybe you wouldn´t have been sneaking out to the lower levels so often…”

“He did that?” Aubrie asked with a raised eyebrow of her own, surprised that she found that surprising at all, Anakin was the right type for that sort of thing.

“More times than I can remember…” Obi-Wan trusted with a tired expression on her face.

“Screw the Temple!” Anakin corrected, starting to walk down the ramp with enthusiasm “I just want to go back to my own bed!”

Obi-Wan and Aubrie looked at each other with a mix of contentment and annoyance and followed the loud obnoxious male Jedi down to the hangar. The familiar figures of Mace Windu, Master Plo and Master Fisto making their way to them in a sign of welcome.

Obi-Wan and Aubrie bowed respectfully on unison when they reached them, while Anakin took a moment to imitate the curtesy as the little disrespectful man-child that he was. You could see in the slight scowl on his face that he wasn´t particularly amused by the Masters presence, after all, they were ruining his plans to cheerfully continue with his exuberant display of joy.

“I see that you all have made it back in one piece…” Mace Windu saluted them with a gentle and humble smile.

“Yes, although I must say it was an uneven ride.” Obi-Wan joked calmly “I must ask for the Council to try and send us to more diplomatic missions next time, I´m getting rather tired of being shot at.”

“I was hoping you would have turned those blasters on words of reconciliation, Master Kenobi.” Master Plo jested with equal friendliness “After all, aren´t you being called the Negotiator now?”

Anakin snorted at her side, an easy and gentle smile on his lips.

“There is a limit at to what a diplomat can discuss with a Separatist, I´m afraid.”

“I´ve heard good things about you too, Skywalker. The Hero With No Fear, was it?” Fisto laughed.

“It´s sounds way cooler than Negotiator… at least.” Anakin teased Obi-Wan with a side-way look.

The female Master only rolled her eyes.

“We will discuss more about your mission during your report to the Council” Windu declared, cutting the conversation short. “And yes, Skywalker, your presence will be required as well…” He said before turning around and leaving, a slight smile painted on his lips.

The other Masters followed the Jedi without much hesitation, and a strange silence took presence between them for a moment, the three remaining Jedi looking at each other with surprise.

“Was that… a joke?” Anakin enquired.

“I don´t know. It seemed like it.” Obi-Wan shrugged. Contrary to what Anakin may think, Mace Windu wasn´t always a moody Council member, he joked quite often when in presence of close friends, he has done so multiple times while in Obi-Wan´s company.

“I have never see Master Windu smile before, and two times at that.” Aubrie mused, more curious and pensive than surprised.

“There is always a first time for everything, I guess…” Anakin suggested.

“Nevertheless, we must be readying our reports; you two have heard Master Windu´s orders.” Obi-Wan remind them, walking from the little group they have formed and talking with her patented “Master” voice.

“Oh, yes, about that…” Anakin muttered while scratching the back of his head.

Obi-Wan automatically frowned, looking at him through half-lidded eyes. She knew that tone of voice and the uncharacteristic anxiety that her husband was suddenly showing.

“What now, Anakin?” Aubrie questioned, half annoyed already.

“I need to rush… to do something.” He excused to the two irritated women before him. “It´s kind of important, both of you are good with… reporting stuff, I´m sure you can do it fine without me.”

“That sounds like a terrible excuse” Aubrie quickly snapped, not hiding her discomfort.

With a slight tug at the bond that Anakin shared with Obi-Wan, he let her know that he required her assistance. The female General pinched the bridge of her nose with exasperation and sighed looking how Aubrie has started a discussion with Anakin, the young Knight was sending desperate looks at her while he laughed pathetically and tried to calm Aubrie down.

Obi-Wan put a hand on Aubrie´s shoulder to ease her claims.

“Padawan, calm down.” She ordered sweetly and then looked at Anakin “You may go, Anakin, I will cover for you… this time.” She remarked the last phrase, letting him know she wasn´t going to be an enabler of his irresponsibility.

“What!?” Aubrie complained.

“Thank you, Master, thank you!” Anakin bowed.

“Off with you” Obi-Wan growled.

The male Jedi bowed one last time and rushed past the two female warriors.

 _“Thank you, love. I owe you one.”_ Anakin sent through their link, only to receive a slight feeling of impatience and irritation from Obi-Wan´s side of the bond.

Anakin giggled under his breath and ran towards his destiny with only one mission on his mind.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

It had taken him some time to get everything he needed, but once he had quickened his pace to prepare the rest, there was only thing left to do in his list. With the hood of his cloak covering his face, the figure moved through the busy crowds of the levels of Coruscant with expertise. The sun will be setting soon and the man apparently needed to rush and finish everything that was missing for him to go where we wanted.  

When he found a safe spot with no people near, he climbed some stairs and jumped through some roofs, until he got into a small space between a couple of buildings. In one swift move, he removed the hood of his cloak. The handsome face of Anakin Skywalker appeared behind the brown fabric of his Jedi robes, smirking while he deposited his comm-unit in front of him and put a bag he was carrying beside his seat.

“Ok, time to make this work...” the Jedi Knight muttered.

A holo-projection of Padmé went up in front of him, the politician´s face was shining with a bright smile that made Anakin smile in turn. He had missed her so much while he had been away, even when he had Obi-Wan close to him at all times since they have become an official team, he craved for his friendly conversation with the Senator. Obi-Wan may be his wife, and he loved her more than words could say, but Padmé was the one who understood him and wanted him for what he was. He could be himself when he was with her, not a perfect Jedi, not a fearless warrior, just Anakin. And he loved that.

“Ani… I hope this message reaches you with health, I miss you a lot and I´m sorry that I won´t be there by the time you make it back to Coruscant. I have left everything to your disposition and your requests have been honored in the way you have asked for them, I wish you find everything pleasing and in order.” Suddenly a gentle shine sparkle on the politician´s eyes went up and a kind smile spread over her beautiful face. “I love you, Ani…” she said in a quiet voice. “…and I hope to see you soon.”

Anakin smirked at the soft voice and touching words but before he could send a reply a raspy and unwanted voice resounded at the entrance of the ally he was hidding himself in.

“Oh, look at the beautiful scene we´ve got here…”

Anakin turned to find the ugly scowl on Assaj Ventress face. At the sight of the dark apprentice, the young Knight´s blood boil, this woman, this harpy was the responsible of Obi-Wan´s pain during the campaign on Jabiim many months ago. Anakin suddenly saw red and he quickly launched at the slim figure of the dark Jedi.

“Ventress…” he growled through clenched teeth.

“Oh, Skywalker, who would have thought you had a soft spot for politicians?” the dark Jedi teased.

“You witch!” He snapped, lightning his lightsaber in instant fury.

Ventress smirked and jumped back to another building’s roof, dodging the slash of the Knight´s weapon.

“How predictable…” she buffed “You remind me to that Master of yours, all chained up and at my mercy…”

“You will pay for that, Ventress.” Anakin promised, jumping to the same height. “I have dreamed of this, the day I finally shred you to pieces, Sith Scum!” he roared while pointing the end of his saber at her.

The Sith Acolyte´s scoff was sharp and loud.

“Don´t make me laugh, Skywalker. You could never beat me, or are you really mad because not only I tortured your dear Master but I have discovered your dirty little secret?”

Anakin´s ire increased with the jest and threats of the dark Force user, his blood boiled with every word and his rage gnawed at his bones and organs, rushing him into action, into vengeance.

“Oh, has the Sarlac got your tongue now, little Jedi?”

“Stop your games, harpy! I have no time for your delusions…”

“That lovely Senator of yours… if the Order knew about your affair it will be the end of your career, wouldn´t it?” She continue to taunt him.

“What are you babbling about, Ventress?” Anakin asked, suddenly alarmed at the words.

Ventress lighted up her own sabers, smirking and pacing circles, ready to attack or defend. Anakin imitated her, not taking his eyes from her form.

“Don´t play coy, Jedi. I heard Amidala talking sweetly to you just a moment ago, you smirking like a fool in love. It made me sick to my stomach.”

“You know nothing, Ventress.” He spat, worried by Padmé´s safety at the evil comments of the Sith before him. She could hurt her, even if her assumption was completely flawed.

“Maybe I should pay a visit to your little lover? I think that a repetition of the sweet torture that I did to your old Master is long over do, maybe this time to the Senator instead?” She smirked, turning her saber´s off in favor of running away in hunt of Padmé.

Anakin panic flared at the mention of possible damage to Padmé. The ugly and wild dragon inside his chest came to life at the thought of Padmé being subjected to pain and agony, the same Obi-Wan had been. An impressive and feral roar escaped his mouth and he quickly rushed to stop the Dark user, but Ventress stopped him with one of her sabers before he could hurt her.

“You.Will.Not.Touch.Her…” Anakin muttered through clenched teeth, slashing his sabre at her, who was blocking every hit.

“Did I touch a nerve, boy?” Assaj snorted, dancing around with her weapons in a bad and crude imitation of Count Dooku´s second form.

Anakin didn´t answer, he was too angry to talk. The images plagued his mind like a bad dream: Padmé on chains, hanging from some dirty dark dungeon, bleeding and crying, the same way he had imagined Obi-Wan went she went missing and he thought her dead. His fury translated on his movements, there was not grace on his hits, no hesitation or careful tactics, he knew he was being bold and wild but he couldn´t contain his ire, he would not permit Padmé to fall into Ventress clutches, he will keep her safe, the way he couldn´t keep Obi-Wan.

He will avenge his wife and he will protect his friend.

Anakin and Assaj both dance around each other, sabers clashing now and then and giving blows directed to kill. After a while, Ventress hit a right slash, leaving a tiny burning mark on his jaw.

Anakin groaned a little at the feeling of the red plasma against his skin, while Ventress smirked with confidence at being the first to giving the first hit.

“I knew you were weak, I didn´t think you were this pathetic.” She teased. Jumping over Anakin´s head.

Anakin´s face felt scorching with pain the minute that one of Assaj´s sabers injured his right eye. The tip of the weapon left a red angry mark on his forehead and part of his right cheek, barely missing the eye. Anakin held his hand against the ugly mark that probably will remain to become a scar.

“I could have taken your head off this time, boy…” She hissed, standing proud with his weapons of death “…maybe with my next stroke, I will.”

“Ahh!” The Jedi complained when Ventress connected a kick to his chest.

“But first… I wanted you to know that I could.”

While Ventress finished her little speech, Anakin’s anger only grew, fed by the pain of his injuries. The Light sider quickly raised to his feet and lifted his free hand at Assaj’s direction.

The smirk on Ventress face quickly faded at the Force push that sent her flying back and onto a wall. Anakin’s fury was out of control and while the young man held his hand over his injured eye, he walked towards her figure, still trapped by the powerful control on the Force by the Jedi Knight.

“Do not threaten me again…” he hissed with rage.

“Ughh…” The acolyte groaned at the strong hold.

“Do not dare to curse or persecute my friends…” he clenched his fist, even more furious, abandoning his saber on the ground.

Electric cables suddenly groaned at some tension that Anakin used to pull them out of their respective posts. Ventress screamed in pain as they tangled around her form, twisting and pulling her.

“Do not presume you could ever kill me… I will crush you, you Separatist Scum!” Anakin continue, accentuating his dark intentions with the Force. Crushing the assassin with the cables, allowing his anger to dominate his reason.

“I will end you!”

The Dark sider gave up and felt unconscious and Anakin threw her to the lower levels of the city. Watching as her broken body fell into the darkness below.

The Jedi breathed out soundly, trying to ease the dragon within his chest. After a couple of minutes, he centered his mind and saw as the sun set over the horizon. Without a second thought, he walked away from the edge of the building and called his saber to his hand, grabbing his bag and comm-unit from where he had left him before the battle began, not even speaking or making a noise, making his way back to his original destiny.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Obi-Wan had given her report to the Council in company of her faithful Padawan. She felt a bit drained but content by the fact she was back home. Even lacking on Anakin’s early and strange excitement by their return to the Temple, she would be lying if she said she didn´t miss the place or the company of her peers. The golden walls of the Temple were shining and warmed her bones, the many welcomed smiles she received along the way felt like a sweet change from the rough life and desperation of the trenches.

The Council had enquired about Anakin´s absence, and as usual, Obi-Wan had to make up a smart excuse for it. Aubrie had huffed when his name was mentioned but had supported her comment on the matter.

Obi-Wan had allowed him to recuse himself only because the man seemed eager and truly preoccupied by something. She would not enquire about it until later, she had decided, not knowing if Aubrie was free to hear whatever he had to say, but she could feel the annoyance of her young apprentice at her validation. She knew that sometimes she was overindulging with him, and maybe that was something she must correct but it was difficult not to give in when the young man gave her his blue big eyes. It hadn´t started with him becoming her husband, really; this began when he was little and his pouting was too cute to ignore.

While Obi-Wan thought about all of this, she reached her quarters. When she opened the door, she expected to see Anakin on the other side, instead the place was alone and quiet. The female Jedi lifted an eyebrow at the unexpected sight and only noticed an out of place object when she scanned the premises in search of her husband.

There was a comm-unit that didn´t belong to her on the living´s room table. And she quickly walked to it, only to have it light up at her touch.

The surprising figure of Padmé Amidala appeared in front of her.

“Obi-Wan!”

“Padmé…?” She half saluted and half questioned.

“I´m sorry for the little surprise and welcome back to Coruscant.”

“It´s good to be back home” Obi-Wan concedes. Nodding and smiling back.

Padmé imitates her action and crosses her hands in front of her fancy dress.

“I wanted to request a small petition from you, if isn´t too much…?” The Senator politely asked.

The Jedi Master raised an eyebrow with skepticism, affronted by the sudden entreaty.

“I wanted to invite you over to my apartment. To dinner.” She clarified with a small smile of hers.

Obi-Wan seemed puzzle for a minute, not understanding why the invitation came, and she felt inclined to refuse it, since she already planned to remain inside her cozy apartment she had missed for so long. And, to be honest, she was also hoping for Anakin to return, since today was a special day of sorts.

In the other hand, the Senator may have something important to tell her. Maybe it was imperative for the war.

“I will be there, Senator.” She tells her with a gentle gesture.

“Good.” The other female cheers “I have taken the audacity to leave a dress for you in your bedroom.”

Obi-Wan stills for a second, ultimately confused.

“A dress, my lady?”

“Yes. It´s important for you to not look like a Jedi.” Padmé trusted her. “It´s nothing serious, it´s just that I prefer it that way.”

Obi-Wan didn´t look all that convinced.

“Please, do indulge me, Master Jedi.” The politician swiftly whispered. Obi-Wan imagined her speaking this seductively to diplomats of foreign planets to get her way. After all, the Senator´s beauty was famous and well known across the galaxy.

“Sure… Senator.”

“Good. I will see you in an hour then. Get ready and get pretty.” Padmé winked at her with a slight blush taking over her features before the call ended.

Obi-Wan didn´t know what it was all about but follow the order and walk to her private quarters. Over her bed, a night dress rested elegantly.

In front of her, rests the most expensive dress, besides her wedding gown, that Obi-Wan has ever possessed. Her mind quickly sets on denying the Senator the pleasure, every cell in her body fought against the idea of wear something so elegant and exaggerated. She didn´t need to touch the fabric to know it was soft and delicate, and the vivid red that colored the entirety of the cloth it was too visible for her liking. She, who only wore white, brown and creams her entire life.

In the other hand, she didn´t know if the requirement of the fancy dress had a reason behind it. Maybe they would not be alone in the “dinner”. Maybe Padmé wanted her to dress as a rich acquaintance and secretly was petitioning her to eavesdrop the conversation.

The Jedi Master rolled her eyes at the doubts inside her mind. She looked down at the dress, appreciating the red semitransparent lace on the top and the red organza at the bottom.

Obi-Wan shook her head and decided to take a quick shower before putting on the dress and applied some make up and do her hair so finally met the Senator in her fancy dinner date.

 

                                                                                            

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

When Obi-Wan made it to Padmé´s apartments, she was half mortified of being caught wearing the elegant dress. She had taken to cover the elegant garment with her standard Jedi cloak, hiding the piece from the peering eyes of her fellow Jedi mates. She didn´t want to attract any attention, especially from Quinlan who always appeared most unexpectedly to tease her. She would never live it down.

Her hair was done in an equally elegant up-do. A simple bun at the back of her head, and her hair pulled from her face in an elegant side-wave that gave volume to her red strands. She had applied heavier make up that she would like to, with golden eyeshadow and dangerous red-lips, in case the other person could recognize her from the holo-news, she didn´t want to be spotted if espionage was the ruse behind this unconventional petition. She was also wearing heels, go figure. Also provided by Padmé.

When she was in front of the door of the apartment, she took her cloak off, hoping to hide it the minute she was inside the place. She rang the electronic doorbell, but instead of the usual enquire of identification, the door opened on its own, to which Obi-Wan lifted an eyebrow in confusion.

Good thing she was secretly wearing her lightsaber on her tight, refusing to leaving it behind in her room in case violence was required. Obi-Wan walked inside and followed the corridors and halls she knew by now, after some visits with the politician.

She was suspicious when she didn´t hear the usual chatter of people when a party was taken place, but advanced until reaching the dining room, that she knew to be rather big and spacious, where she supposed a party or a dinner would be held if that was the case, such as this.

When she reached her destination and opened the double doors, ready to attack if needed, she could only gasp at the scene before her.

Anakin was standing in the middle of the room wearing a shit-eating grin on his face.

“What in the Sith-Hells…?” Obi-Wan muttered.

“Obi-Wan…” Anakin saluted and nodded. “…You look breath-taking.”

“What are you doing here? Where is Padmé? What´s going on?”

Anakin laughed at her many questions. The lights of the room were dimmed, and hot meals were ready and placed over the great table between them. There were some blue flowers, Nubian Mists, all over the room and from the viewport the blue full moon shined splendorous.

“I´m here because I planned all of this. Padmé? She is in Aldeeran. And this is a date, with me. There, I hope that answered all your questions.”

Obi-Wan frowned, even more confused, she had many questions still but before she could put her mind around any of them, Anakin walked towards her, taking the female Jedi into his arms.

“There was no mission, no dinner party…” He added. “It was an excuse to get you here. I asked Padmé to do that for me.”

“What would you do that?” She asked a little bit annoyed.

“To be alone with you, of course.” Anakin said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Or have you forgotten what date it is today?”

Obi-Wan rolled her grey eyes at the offended tone.

“No, of course not. I thought you had though.”

“Sure you did.” Anakin groaned “I would never forget this, Obi-Wan.”

“You were so excited to get to your own bed, if I recalled.”

“Did you actually believed that bit of the bed?” Anakin made a funny face and the female Jedi had to slap him on the chest in retaliation. “It was a cover, I couldn´t give all of this away, now could I?”

She looked around the place in appreciation, the decorations and the touching gestures were clear as day and she smiled with a touchy feeling of love at the effort, right before kissing her husband’s cheek.

“Thank you. It´s lovely.”

Anakin smiled and pecked her on the lips.

“Come here. I have made dinner.”

“Really?” Obi-Wan asked genuinely surprised.

“No. But Dex cooked and I know you love his food, so…”

Obi-Wan started to laugh cheerfully and Anakin smiled at the beautiful sound of her giggles, appreciating the rare occasion. Since the war had started it had become more and more strange for the Jedi Master to just feel pure joy, and he missed the sight of her relaxing and enjoying herself like she was doing right now.

“It was too good to be true, I suppose.” She shrugged.

Anakin came close and put some flowers on her bun, loving the sight of the Nubian Mists on her auburn hair again.

The Knight walked behind her and hug her, resting his chin on the top of her head, Obi-Wan relaxed into his embrace and sighed at the warm presence of his body and his familiar perfume.

“It´s our anniversary.” Anakin told her as if she didn´t know already.

“I know.” She replied, one hand over his on her waist and the other raised, caressing his soft hair.

Anakin nuzzled her head and kiss the top of it.

“I love you, Obi-Wan.”

“I love you, Anakin.”

They stood there for a while, just embracing each other and enjoying the company of their lover without having to hide or rush in case they were needed. Just bathing on the pleasure of being together, side by side.

“Obi-Wan…”

“Mmm?”

“I have a gift for you…”

“Anakin…”

The tone of Obi-Wan´s voice was a warning, something he knew beforehand.

“No, no, I know what you are going to do… you will tell me ´possessions are forbidden´. This is different…”

“If you knew this, then why bother?”

“Because I´m your husband and it´s a husbandly duty to provide for the wife.” He told her, untangling their limbs and walking to a small table between a couple of sofas in the corner.

Obi-Wan snorted.

“Besides, you barely had anything at all, I have to give you something.”

“You don´t need to give me anything, Anakin. I´m happy with you being happy and healthy, that´s it.”

“Hush. I´m trying to be romantic here. Don´t kill my vibe.” He grunted while coming closer with her gift on his hands.

“Anakin!” Obi-Wan gasped suddenly, taking a good look of Anakin´s face when he approached closer and into the light.

“What?”

“Your face!” She almost whimpered. “What happened to your face?” She reached forward and framed his face between her hands.

“Oh!” Anakin realized “You are talking about the scar.”

“Yes!” She nodded “The scar that you didn´t have this morning!”

Anakin twisted his face and shifted uncomfortably in his position.

“I have an encounter with Assaj Ventress. She cut my face. I won, though.”

The Knight seemed uncomfortable retelling the story and apparently wanted to move away from the topic as soon as possible.

“Anakin!” She squeaked loudly “Ventress is here and you didn’t report it?!”

Anakin could see Master Obi-Wan Kenobi taking over the romantic and in love wife that she was just a minute ago.

“We need to report this to the Council right now…”

“No, no, no, no…” Anakin shook his head, taking her from the shoulders. “Tonight it´s about us, no Jedi, no war, no Council…”

“But we must…”

“Tomorrow. If you want me to go there and tell them the whole story I´ll do it, but tomorrow…”

Obi-Wan seemed to think it over for a short while, assessing the situation with clever eyes. Anakin only hoped she relented.

She relaxed her shoulders and twisted her lips.

“Fine. But tomorrow you do what you must.”

“Thanks. Now, I´d give you this.”

Anakin raised his hands to show her a necklace. The gift wasn´t made of pearls from Chandrila or rare precious stones from Naboo. It was a simple brown leather cord with some desert stones and a snippet craved on Japor wood, a type of tree that was present on Tatooine.

“What is this?” She asked.

“It´s a silly thing. I gave one to Padmé when I was little.” Anakin confessed, scratching his neck. “I wanted to give you something pretty that you could wear on your neck, but I knew you would refuse it…”

Obi-Wan touched the small piece, feeling it´s softness and duress.

“…I thought that you may accept this at least. It´s nothing fancy but it´s meant to represent something, the cravings; it´s traditional from Tatooine…”

“And what does it mean?” Obi-Wan wondered, still touching the small amulet.

“It doesn’t have an exact translation. The one I gave to Padmé had a different one, it was the symbol of sand in Tatooine.”

Obi-Wan snorted at that, knowing how Anakin hated sand. He only sent her a look and grew serious again.

“And this one?” Obi-Wan asked.

“It´s something like… a story worthy of the stars…” he admitted with some embarrassment.

“…A story worthy of the stars…?” She repeated with some trepidation.

“In Huttese… there are not exact words for that, but there is a sign for it, this is the one.” He explained.

Obi-Wan frowned and touched the soft leather.

“But, what does it stand for?” Obi-Wan asked, still confused “Why would you want to crave such a thing?”

“Mother used to tell me that she never had ´A Story Worthy of the Stars´… On Tatooine, that meant the greatest love story of all… she never had one, but she wished for me to have it. One day. A love so good and so big that would be worth the stars themselves…”

While Anakin told her everything in a quiet voice and Obi-Wan almost felt like crying at his touching words, not knowing what to say.

Anakin came closer and kissed her brow while his hands placed the neckless around her long neck, clasping it at the back.

“Uma Ji Muna…” Obi-Wan whispered to him, smiling.

Anakin´s face lighted up the minute he heard the words coming from her mouth. Hearing his wife speaking Huttese.

“I love you too…”

“Always.” She told him.

“Forever.” He promised.

They kissed, not caring that the red lipstick that Obi-Wan was wearing was going to get Anakin all dirty with makeup. The love they felt for each other intense and honest to the end, enjoying the unity of souls.

When they were done, Anakin kissed her brow and took her back to the dinner table, sitting her on her place.

Once that was done, he sat beside her and moved his brows in appreciation at the food.

“Wait a minute…. Did you say that Padmé was on Aldeeran?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Oh, yes… with Bail.”

Obi-Wan widened her eyes with surprise.

“…But he is married…”

Anakin shrugged.

“It´s an arranged marriage. Apparently Breha knows, she doesn´t mind it. They have something going on there…”

“Oh, how curious…”

They both laughed at that, holding hands beneath the table and enjoying the rest of their meal, sending looks at each other and blushing every time they stared too long.

Everything was perfect. For now.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´M SOOOO SORRY FOR THE DELAY! I wasn´t of my choosing, I could post any sooner because my laptop broke. Like in half. Literally. They are still fixing it, and it has been gone for an entire month. I had to ask my brother to lend me his laptop and rewrite the entire chapter, it was half way done when the computer broke. 
> 
> I made it long enough to compensate a little, here you go people. Any mistakes were made by my sleepy self in the early morning writing this.


	15. Clone Wars: Changes (Part 2)

Obi-Wan was standing, hidden in the shadows to not be detected, the way she had been from hours. It was a routine assignment, more a duty than a mission on its own. The voices of the Senators resonated in the gigantic room that held them, and Obi-Wan was equally interested and annoyed by their negotiations.

As a Jedi, part of her responsibilities was listening to diplomatic procedures, although they didn´t involve much of ear-dropping in the Senate, as it did now. She had been assigned to guard some Senators; since the war had started they have grown restless and requested more and more protection as time went by.

Anakin was currently on a small short mission with Aayla Secura, and he was going to be back within the day, so that left Aubrie and Obi-Wan with the sole duty to protect the politicians during their sessions and through their political bickering.

Obi-Wan knew Aubrie to be bored with the task they have been given, but the dutiful girl never allowed it to be seen on her otherwise serious face. Always keeping a semblance of professionalism and integrity that constantly surprised her, especially when she had just spent many years within the company of a Padawan that would quickly voice his opinions on every matter at hand, wearing his heart on his sleeve more than she would prefer him to do. It was a nice change, to just accept their task without protest.

By the time the session ended, Obi-Wan had sore feet and her head just started to pound with an acute pain, by the corner of her eyes, she could suddenly see the familiar feminine figure of Senator Amidala, who was laughing freely while she hang from the arm of Senator Organa. The sight of them together was amusing and it distracted her from her tiredness.

Aubrie, who stood in front of her across the hall, raised an eyebrow in acknowledgement and Obi-Wan had to bit her cheek to not allow a small smile to escape her pink lips.

“Oh!” Padmé exclaimed with surprise. Her joyous laughter dying inside her throat and her feet stopping all together. “Obi-Wan!” she saluted with renew enthusiasm “What are you doing here?”

Bail seemed curious as well, although not even half as surprised by her presence as Padmé was.

“I´m currently on duty, Senator.” Kenobi stated, a touch of fondness on her serious voice and a small gesture of friendliness on the softness of her features.

“The Jedi are taking shifts, I heard.” Senator Organa informs his partner, Padmé looks up at him with interest. “Bravely guarding us while we discuss matters of state.”

Aubrie huffs silently at the phrasing of the explanation. Obi-Wan looks at her for half a second before returning her grey eyes to the brown ones of the female Senator.

“Is your shift soon to be over?” Padmé questioned with a strange concern and a gleam on her eyes. Bail frowned the moment she asked.

“It´s just over, Senator. I was just guarding your session.”

Padmé smiles so widely that her white teeth gleam for all of them to see, she drops Bail´s arm and quickly engages one of Obi-Wan´s with joy. The female Jedi is quick to object but a cheerful pull from the politician has her walking down the long hall instead.

“You must come with me, then!” the female official requests, although it looks more like an order than an invitation. “We ought to have some night for ourselves.”

“Senator…” Obi-Wan whispers with equal uncomfortableness and humor. It has been a while since she had seen someone so genuinely happy, and the usually professional and grounded politician seemed to turn into a six year old at the possibility of spending some time with the Jedi Master. Obi-Wan didn´t have any desire to stop such strange exchange of happiness.

Some light steps sounded right behind them, and Obi-Wan catches the sight of her Padawan escorting the Senator of Alderaan and guarding her back as if she was some important monarch of another system before continuing her way.

“Why isn´t Anakin around?” Padmé asks in a murmur for her ears only.

Obi-Wan breathes deep before answering.

“He is in a mission. But he will be back tonight.”

Padmé smiles.

“So, I suppose that we won´t be able to have the night to ourselves after all” she laments without dropping her sweet smile “I´m glad, though. Ani told me you would be separated sometimes from now on, he seemed to be a bit depressed by that. I wish you two to spend as much time together as you can” She commented, a touch of sadness on her voice at the perspective of them being separated on the future.

Obi-Wan snorted discreetly. “If it was up to Anakin, we would never be separated at all.”

“Oh. Is that a sentiment you don´t share?” she asked, her steps a little more cautious.

Obi-Wan lifted an eyebrow.

“I value my independence, Senator.” The Jedi Master stated, sensing Padmé´s surprise and discomfort with the idea of her impartiality on the subject. “As a Jedi, I´m taught not to believe in attachments.”

“Attachments?” Padmé huffs with equal humor and annoyance. “Obi-Wan, my dear friend, I´m afraid you are too late for such notions. You are married.” She informs her as if she didn´t know that.

They walked until they reached the exit, the sun was setting in the horizon between the tall buildings of the city-planet, a sight equally tiring as it was beautiful. Coruscant did not have beautiful landscapes of greenery like planets of Naboo or Alderaan did, but it was breath-taking in its own beauty and uniqueness. Regardless of she been born in a different place, Obi-Wan has always felt Coruscant as her real home.

“Attachment is not the same as love.” Obi-Wan explained, suddenly feeling tired. She detested having this conversation with someone who was not a Jedi. Most people didn´t understand such concepts. And it wasn´t that Padmé was unintelligent enough not to grasp the idea of it, but she certainty wasn´t raised to share it.

“Is it not?” the politician enquired, stopping by a thick pillar, keeping her pretty face out of the orange light of the setting sun.

“No. Attachment is possession. Love does not require such selfish designs.”

Padmé almost gapes at Obi-Wan´s security. She spoke as if she was not only convinced of her own words but with a finality that tried to put an end to any debate that she could possibly engage. Padmé then noticed that she was in the presence of the famous Negotiator, not just her friend, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

“I must admit that I do not possess great knowledge of Jedi philosophy…”

Obi-Wan does not makes a sound at that. Changing her stare between the young Senator and the sunset shining through the buildings of the ever busy city in front of her.

“…But I do think that your kind also lack authority in the topic of love.”

What ought to be a light provocation and a small banter of different opinions between two expert diplomats quickly turned into a stare down of wills. Their eyes consuming each other as something similar to enemies on a battlefield. Deep Grey against the Gleaming Brown of hers.

“I wouldn´t say so.” Obi-Wan simply states, trying to melt the iron of their words. “We do not think the same way that you lot do. But then again, we are not like you.”

There was no real poison in those words, but the sting of them still tasted sour in Padmé´s mouth.

She knew that Obi-Wan and Anakin were different than her. She was aware that Jedi were raised with distinct beliefs, but she never felt the wall between them as she did right then. Obi-Wan wasn´t been particularly nasty, wasn´t intending to hurt her, she was only stating a fact.

Somehow, it was as if she had slapped her on the face.

“Well, if that is all, I must take my leave, Padmé.” Obi-Wan bowed, giving a knowing look to her new apprentice.

The orange light illuminated half of Obi-Wan´s face, she looked like the angels that Anakin told her about as a child, the ones that he compared her with when they just met back on Tatooine. Padmé knew Obi-Wan to be a beautiful woman, but today she looked divine. Her hand twitched at the sudden impulse to reach and touch the softness of her skin.

She almost did. _Almost_.

“You need to visit me more often, Obi-Wan.” Padmé requested, crossing her hands in front of her long skirts.

The Jedi Master, who was already on her way to her precious temple beside her trusted apprentice, stopped. She looked at her and then gave her a small smile, nodded and started to leave again. A sign of good will.

Bail was beside her in a second.

“What was that all about?” he asked, his voice gone softer, the tone that he only used with her and no one else, it made Padmé blush.

“Nothing. Just a discussion with an old friend.”

“Discussion?” He questioned, unconvinced. “I didn´t know if you two were going to kiss or slap each other.”

“Don´t be ridiculous.” The ex-queen huffed, making her own way to her means of transportation. Bail trailed right behind her like a dutiful bodyguard and Padmé had to bit her lip to not make a sound.

Bail´s hand embraced hers as they walked. She felt its warmth and the softness of the skin, and she felt a sudden urge to find out if Obi-Wan´s skin would feel like that too.

She almost dropped Bail´s hand. _Almost_.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

She had fallen asleep on the couch. It was late and she was tired. For someone who was used to the desperation and violence of war, it seemed almost comic to grow exhausted because of too much standing and hours of boredom.

Obi-Wan had decided since earlier on the day to wait for the return of Anakin, he was supposed to arrive at night, and she wanted to make dinner for the both of them inside the privacy of their rooms.

After coming back from the Senate building, Obi-Wan had spent some hours sparring with her apprentice, Aubrie, who everyday grew more capable and skillful, soon she would be even at Anakin´s level and that filled her with immense pride. But what has kept her in a constant state of excitement and joy wasn´t the demonstration of power from her impressive Padawan, but the promise of the safe return of her other half.

The conversation with Padmé had left her almost baffled, so unused to be questioned in such a way, although the female politician does have the tendency to discuss such serious and personal matters as if they were a conversation about the weather. Obi-Wan herself tended to be that way as well, never shy when it came to heavy discussions of existential quests and interesting opinions, although she wasn´t overjoyed with discussing the life and philosophy of the Jedi with outsiders, it didn´t tend to go well.

Anakin would have laugh and probably found a way to make a joke or two at both of their expenses if he would have been there. Her old apprentice tended to dislike such serious discussions, especially while he was enjoying some free time away from the war or Jedi matters. Obi-Wan was glad she was assigned with Aubrie on that mission, her new Padawan tended to be less bothersome when it came with assignments, but at the end of the day, she ended up missing the presence of her now Knighted partner, he would have known what to say and what to do at Padmé´s strange interest on her thoughts of the concept of love.

When the day was done, she had found some reports to read and finish, some books to get lost in and her unexpected exhaustion had caught up with her, reducing her to a curled sleeping figure on the extent of her longest couch.

She only woke up when what it felt like a warm hand shook her out of her rest.

Images were blurry but the light of the room blinded her to what she could possibly see anyway; there was a heavy breath, musk and warm, but fresh with the smelt of mint that caressed her lips.

“Obi-Wan…”

That voice. Soft and tender, the same one she heard when every time she fell sleep, not matter how much she tried to pretend otherwise.

It was the voice of the most important person in the galaxy.

“Anakin…” she murmured, too sleepy to properly welcome her beloved.

There was a light giggle, so masculine and profound that made her skin crawled with sudden arousal. If she were suitably awaked, she would have probably kissed him breathless.

Suddenly, her body was lifted by some strong arms. Her feet were bared, which was strange because she didn´t remember to ever had taken her boots off before she dosed off but she wasn´t fully conscious to accurately remember either.

Her vision got slightly better when she made the effort to open her heavy eyes, but when her hand reached to her face in hopes of awaken her sleepy mind, Anakin´s bigger hand removed her limb away from her own head.

“Shhh, it´s okay” he whispered, the mint still present on his breath but now the smelt of leather became quite stronger, so much so, she had to burrow her face against the material of her lover´s tabard when she detect it, missing the familiar scent.

There was a deep grumble inside Anakin´s chest, like a cat purring its satisfaction with her primal and affectionate action.

“I´m going to undress you now…” he warned, softly dropping her body on the softness of what must have been their mattress. His voice was soft, like silk, untouched by desire or any trace of lust.

She whined, uninterested on his talking. Too tired to speak. But Anakin seemed amused since he giggled again, in his own attractive although irritating way.

His hand started pulling at her belts, and taking her weapons away.

“Seriously…” he huffed, clearly mortified at the thought of she falling asleep over her lightsaber. She could imagine his frowning face quite well, she had seen it plenty of times for even lesser offenses.

Anakin kept working on her robes and Obi-Wan didn´t offer any assistance whatsoever, even making his job more difficult, making sure to turn at weird angles, refusing to cooperate when he asked her to.

“I swear you are doing that on purpose.” Anakin growled under his breath when she managed to kick him on the stomach.

She wasn´t. Or at least she thought she wasn´t. She didn´t know, and at the time, she didn´t really care, she was too tired; maybe in the subconsciousness of her mind she enjoyed to torment him, payback for all the suffering she had been subjected when he started with his vexing teenage bullshit.

It served him well.

Obi-Wan knew he was finished with her when she sensed the cold of the air on her almost naked skin, and Anakin´s warm and firm hands leaving her, making her feel unprotected and needy. Her only defense the soft long under-robe that she used to wear below her Jedi attire.

There was some distant sound of fabric been pulled and thrown over the floor, something heavy being discarded to some corner of her rooms; boots, her mind provided in a silent spark of intelligence. She was almost sure that she had fallen asleep once again until she felt a new weight joining her on the bed, the covers beneath her limp body moving and hands once again pulling her towards a strong and muscular body.

_Anakin._

“Really, you could sleep through a city bombing, no wonder you are never ready when it’s time to leave for battle.”

“…shut up…” she slurred, not really understanding his words but finding them insulting anyway.

There was another deep purring inside that perfect chest, lulling her into a new deep sleep.

“Whatever you say, my love.” He whispered, closer to her face this time.

Lips touched and pressed against hers in a small kiss. A gesture that even in her deepest state of unconsciousness she had the capacity of returning, as she did.

“Sleep.” He ordered “I will be here when you wake up.”

She did as she was commanded. After all, he promised a morning beside him on her bed and the sun will only come out sooner if she closed her eyes and sunk on the depths of her needed rest.

Her dinner plans were ruined, she thought. But she didn´t care at all, if she got the chance to have more moments like this.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

Anakin was there when she woke up.

He was whole and safe and beautiful. With his unruly dark golden hair, now too long and curling at every direction, his mouth was opened and his eyes were closed. It was the loveliest sight she has ever seen and it made her smile.

She should rise up silently and make her way to the kitchen to cook him some nice welcoming breakfast like a good considerate wife would do, but she preferred to stay on their bed, watching his young handsome face been illuminated by the sun through the closed curtains.

It was a rare image, this perfect peace. To see him so calmed and relaxed, facing her while he laid on his side, one arm on the pillow next to his face, covering one of his eyes from her direct view, his mechanic arm over the covers. Obi-Wan didn´t know if she could risk leaving this bed ever again, going as far as thinking she could even abandon the war effort just to keep this selfish sight alive.

But alas, all good things must end, and so her time enjoying this morning vision also did. She carefully stood up, tiptoeing through the bedroom floor to not make a sound, grabbing the necessary objects and escaping the place like a ghost.

She knew she had things to do, and she was running late as she was. There was the burning desire to just ignore the rest of the world and sleep a bit more, maybe just lay on the bed a while longer, admiring the perfect face of her husband but her conscience didn´t permit such things. She had wok to attend. People to see. Things to do. Everything else was secondary, even her own wants and needs.

She was finishing with her obi and just about turning to fetch her utility bet when two strong arms circled her waist. She almost gasped with surprise, instead, she placed her hands over the bare limbs that held her against a firm naked chest.

“Good morning to you.” She whispered, turning to kiss a mass of curls that caressed her cheek.

A growl was the response she was given and she giggled at it, thin fingers playing with the strands of silky hair.

 “I´m sorry I woke you up.”

“The bed was cold without you.” He accused, his nose playing with the skin of her neck.

“I just woke. Couldn´t be too cold.”

“You weren´t there.” He said, louder. “It was awful.”

“You´ve missed me.” She explained, still caressing his head. Anakin was almost child-like in his attitude when it came to situations like this, when they have been separated at any length of time. When they meet again, he always acted sweet and apprehensive, hugging her as if she was about to disappear, complaining when she found an excuse to walk away from his arms.

“Come back to bed.” He begged.

“I have things to do…” she told him, although her voice almost broke. Not at all convincing.

“Yes, you do. You have to spend the morning with me. In bed.” He clarified, pulling her backwards, to the bedroom.

“I don´t recall such duty.” She told him, barely putting any resistance at his actions. Anakin slowly managed to make her move towards their quarters.

“It is so. You made a vow.” He reminds her. He spins her around then, and she greets the lovely sight of Anakin´s messy hair, sleepy eyes and full pink lips. “You promised to love me.” He states while dropping a feather-like kiss to her forehead. “To cherish me.” He kisses the tip of her nose. “To care for me.” He kisses her jaw.

At this point, Obi-Wan is almost a melted pool on the floor, her legs are weak and incapable of hold the weight of her heavy heart. How this man accomplish to turn her into a damsel in distress and bowed her to his will, she would never know.

“Stay, will you?” he finally asks. His teeth pulling at her lower lip in that delicious way that he knew drove her crazy.

She nods, more so because she cannot speak nor think clearly. Two strong arms take her then, conducting her to the privacy and safety of their bedroom and pulling at her clothes as they go, the ones she just put on. After that, it´s just a blur of limbs, soft caresses and words of love.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

The next time she wakes up, she is met with the same sight that welcomed her during the morning, except that this time, is the middle of the day. Anakin is still asleep beside her with his arms around her naked body like a serpent that it has found its prey. She feels comfortably sore and she can´t help but smile at the memories of their previous illicit activities.

Since their first night together, Anakin has learned and grown as an attentive lover, not that Obi-Wan had much more experience with that than he did. They both came to their marriage as a pair of clumsy virgins, but despite what people would believe, she wasn´t a fool, and although lacking in practice when it came to the arts of love, she wasn´t completely ignorant of the ways of pleasure.

 _Satine_. Her mind reminded her.

It´s been a long time since she had thought of him.

She stopped thinking of him years ago; first out of conviction, refusing her emotions to take over her mind and making her run back to the security of his arms. It took her a strong will to not just drop everything: her duties, her life, just to be with him. Then, as time went by, he faded from her mind the same way seasons change overtime. She got used to not seeing him, not thinking of him, and the distraction of her responsibilities kept her away from dangerous thoughts of relapse.

Satine was like a peaceful sea. With tidal waves that washed over a cool shore. He was like the easy wind, like a wide clear blue sky and she felt drawn to his innate softness and elegancy. And although, once, she swore he was everything she ever wanted, forgetting him wasn´t impossible nor his presence completely necessary for her to be happy. She let him go because she had to, so she did.

With Anakin, though. There was no such luck.

If Satine was a peaceful sea, Anakin was a raging storm. All consuming and furious, intense in its impulses and never allowing her heart any quarrel. He didn´t wait for Obi-Wan to make her mind, to take intelligent decisions; if anything, it ripped her away from any safety she might have found. Obi-Wan fought against the force of his attraction, all in vain, she just ended up tired and unhappy. It was only when she finally gave up that she had found real strength.

She wondered what Satine would think of her if he could see her now. So taken and molded by the storm of passion that Anakin was. By another man that wasn´t him. That could never be him.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a grunt of the person beside her. A flutter of eyelashes and blue steely eyes staring at her cool grey ones in turn.

Anakin´s arms tightened around her waist, as if sensing her thinking of another. A lost lover that never truly was.

“What are you thinking…?” he questioned. His voice was coarse for the sleep but his eyes were sharp with intelligence. Sensing her melancholy.

Obi-Wan debated that in her head. Was it worth it to tell him? Anakin didn´t know about Satine. Not really. Maybe he heard his name a couple of times when she needed to go to Mandalore on her many visits during his Padawan years. But Anakin wouldn´t know anything beyond that. And it wasn´t that Obi-Wan wanted to hide it from him, at the end of the day, it was of no consequence. And besides, whatever happened between Obi-Wan and someone else was her business. She didn´t feel like sharing the private joy she experienced in her failed love story with someone she cherished in her youth.

Obi-Wan looked at him, pondering if it was important enough.

It wasn´t.

At the end of the day, Satine was just a sea. But Anakin was the storm. And Obi-Wan had already given herself up to the arms of violent winds rather than to the encompassing rhythm of the calming waves.

There was no debate to be held. No secrets to share. Because this, _them_ , was the only truth.

“Nothing.” She exhaled, burrowing closer to his warm figure, her head accommodating itself on his long neck.

Anakin grunted in satisfaction. He shuts his eyes again, tightening his arms in a loving embrace.

“Didn´t you have something to do…?” he growled tiredly. “…something about duty and whatnot…”

“Fuck duty.” She declared, closing her eyes too. Feeling Anakin tense at her choice of words “I made a vow you know…?” she giggled in a whisper.

Anakin snorted, his head turning to allow his nose to bury itself on the nest of Obi-Wan´s untidy hair.

“To love you.” She raised her head to kiss his jaw. “To cherish you. To care for you.”

Anakin opened his eyes just as Obi-Wan did. Devotion shining on the colors of his eyes, Obi-Wan wondered if hers gleamed the exact same way when she looked at him.

So in _love_.

_…your kind also lacks authority in the topic of love…_

Padmé had said that to her just the other day.

Obi-Wan smiled. Because she knew she was wrong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo, this is awkward.  
> It´s been so long since I updated but I was too busy with life to be honest. I got a new job and it´s demanding as hell as well as projects that are still unfinished. At the end of the day I was too tired to write and when the next season of GOT came along it robbed my attention from Star Wars and took it directly into Jonsa (<3).
> 
> I´m not entirely happy with this chapter because it feels a little bit of a filler, and I actually had planned a different ending, but I decided to leave it here because I didn´t want to overshadow the beautiul scenes that Anakin and Obi-Wan shared as a couple, although the first part and the last seemed as a missmatched puzzle. Oh, well.
> 
> Who noticed the hinted Padmé x Obi-Wan at the beginning? ;)


	16. Clone Wars: Changes (Part 3)

Aubrie knew that there was something inside her Master´s mind. She hadn´t spent as near as much time with the older Jedi as Anakin has, that was for sure, but by now, she has gown familiar with her gestures and mannerisms, and also the way her eyes gleamed when she was up to something.

That very morning, right after Master Obi-Wan Kenobi had finished a brief meeting with the Council, as it was her duty, she appeared with a mysterious light shining on her blue-grey eyes. Aubrie had been standing in the antechambers, waiting for her Master to finish her business but when the woman was done it was clear as day that whatever it had transpire during that meeting, had the Jedi planning something utterly wicked.

“Something in your mind, Master?” she asked while they walked through the halls.

Obi-Wan interrupted her musings and sent a look at her apprentice, who walked behind her as a dutiful Padawan.

“Does it look like it?

Aubrie chuckled weakly, noticing the uncharacteristic fake innocence in her Master´s voice. “As if you don´t know, Master.”

“I haven´t the faintest idea of what you might be talking about, Aubrie…” she declared, smiling devilish to herself once more.

“If you say so, Master. If you say so.”

They walked through the many halls of the Temple with ease, saluting some friends along the way, but never distracting of whatever was the mission at hand, which Aubrie had no great idea of; it was obvious that the Council had assigned Master Kenobi with a task, and naturally, her Master´s mission was Aubrie´s too, the pair never separated for each other now that they were formally known as a Master-Padawan pair and more so after Anakin had been knighted and already being assigned his own missions.

“If I may ask, Master…” she began, noticing how they were walking in direction of the Temple´s hangar.

The red-haired Jedi tilted her head, letting Aubrie know she was paying attention.

“…What sort of task have we been given?”

“Oh, you will like this one. It´s a real mission. No more staying on planet.”

Aubrie raised an eyebrow at that.

“Christophsis. The Separatist had taken it and aid was requested, we are to take it back.” She informed her, passing her some data ship over her shoulder while they finally made it into the hangar.

The place was bussing with energy. Clone troopers preparing ships and droids getting last modifications done, there were some Jedi of different ranks getting out and in crafts and ships of different sizes being readying for use. Aubrie was used to the turmoil by now, even when she prefers the usually pacific halls and quiet places of her home than the new busy atmosphere, with the war everything had become more crowded and too noisy. People rushing in and out of the place they all consider a sacred sanctuary and that was currently being overtaken by demands of warfare instead of the peaceful teachings the Jedi were supposed to preach.

“Now I can sense something in _your_ mind, Padawan…” Obi-Wan muttered almost as a second thought, looking at her from the corner of her eye while she reviewed some holographic data that it was being displayed by a small projector in a clone´s hand.

“It´s nothing, Master. Mere thoughts.” She stated, shrugging as if to assure her of this. The red-haired woman didn´t seem to take the bait.

“If you wish to say something just do so, Aubrie. I will not punish you for speaking your mind.” There is a wave of her hand as she shuts the projector off and the clone runs off with a nod of his head, surely following some command. “I don´t mind to be questioned or to debate something from time to time.”

Aubrie chuckles at the memory of Senator Amidala just a few days ago.

“Oh, yes. I remember that little scene at the Senate, Master. I didn´t know you were that friendly with Senator Amidala.”

Obi-Wan lifts an eyebrow.

“You were listening.” It wasn´t a question but Aubrie couldn´t sense any indignation coming from the older woman so she grinned at her words.

“Didn´t mean to eavesdrop, Master. You were just too loud.”

Kenobi huffed and rolled her eyes.

“Do not spend more time with Anakin than necessary please. His bad manners are rubbing on you.”

She laughed lightly before taking a more serious demeanor. “I was thinking how much I miss the old times. This place looks like a warzone.”

The joyous atmosphere between them turned gloomy in seconds. Obi-Wan relaxed and joined her hands inside her long sleeves, the way she always did when she was pondering something in the depths of her mind. The Jedi Master was wearing one of her light robes, with her long brown cloak over it, the way she preferred it the most, while Aubrie wore darker clothes that Anakin insisted she should wear, like he did.

“I missed them too, apprentice.” Obi-Wan confessed to her in a whisper. Aubrie glanced at her when she detected a different feeling coming from her teacher. There was a sad smile on her pink lips and a strange gleam on her grey eyes.

“I, sometimes, think of the people we have lost too.” She further explained.

“I didn´t mean it as…”

“It´s fine, Aubrie. It´s not forbidden to remember those who have already left, or the people we love still.”

There was something more to it than it wasn´t being said, Aubrie could notice; Master Kenobi was known to be easy going and kind by nature, but she was also a fierce warrior and an expert negotiator, everyone knew her to be strict and set firmly on the Jedi´s way. It was disconcerting to hear her speak so openly in the notions of affection; she almost seemed encouraging.

Aubrie smiled quietly “I don´t think that Master Windu would be so heartening, Master.”

Obi-Wan laughed almost to herself “Master Windu does like to appear more somber than he really is.” She seemed to relax and looked around the place, content with the continuous activity around them.

“Pardon me, Master, but is there a reason why we are just… standing here?” She says when she notices how the older Jedi reclines against the metal wall, as if getting comfortable.

“Oh, we are waiting.” She states with some resemblance of amusement and annoyance.

Aubrie frowns but fails to say anything else. They stand there for what it feels almost half an hour, spent in a regular silence that is both familiar and peaceful. Most Jedi were not heavy talkers, and although, Obi-Wan had a way with words, she tended to be quiet when it wasn´t required for her to talk. Aubrie was silent by nature, preferring to keep her thoughts to herself, but since she had being assigned to the care of the accomplished Jedi Master, she had grown more open and even sarcastic. After all, her brother-Padawan was…

“I´m sorry! I´m late!”

Like a raging storm, the rushing figure of Anakin appeared at the entrance of the hangar. His breathing was haggard and his hair was almost as wild as his blue eyes. Obi-Wan turned her head to look at him with a mask of dispassion on her face, although her grey eyes betrayed a sign of slight amusement and annoyance, the same feelings as before.

“You finally grace us with your company, Anakin” she mutters, pushing away from the wall where she previously rested.

“I´m sorry…”

“You already said that.” Aubrie interjects, rolling her eyes. _Of course_ they would be waiting for Anakin. She should have known that he was the missing piece of the puzzle and that he would obviously arrive too late. As usual.

Anakin approached her with a confident swing that almost made her roll her eyes again. The young Knight was both arrogant and cynic in the most unbecoming of ways. It was pure luck that he was just as equally charming.

“Problem, Aubrie?” he teases, folding his arms over his chest, his tone promised quarrel but his orbs shined with the challenge of a friendly banter.

The Jedi healer huffed and started following Obi-Wan down the ramps when the older woman decided to walk into their assigned ship. “You should be more responsible, you know. You are supposed to be a Knight. It sits ill that I, a mere Padawan, already surpass you in both skill and discipline.”

The sound that comes from Anakin´s throat is hilarious and almost makes Aubrie´s façade break. It was both a yelp and a snort all in one.

“Skill?!” he shrieks, scandalized by the implication. “Are you jesting?” he asks.

Aubrie does not respond but she can see Obi-Wan glaring at them both for a moment, already tired of their arguments before the mission had even begun.  

“Ha! You wouldn´t beat me even if I were blind.” He announces with an assured grin on his face.

By then, they were walking through the silver halls of the craft, Obi-Wan walking ahead and talking with Cody, surely about the mission, while they continue bickering. This was the perfect picture Aubrie had grown accustom by now; Obi-Wan taking the lead and assuming the biggest responsibilities while Anakin and Aubrie went back and forth with whatever nonsense they were arguing over this time.

“I almost got you last time; had you bending backwards to avoid cutting your useless head off.” She reminded her, smiling contently at Anakin´s indignant expression.

“You cheated.” He retorted, huffing. “And I always win in the end. Always.”

Aubrie snorts loudly “Yeah, sure…”

Anakin was about to reply when Obi-Wan turns to interrupt them. “If you are quite done…” She says with a pointed look and a non-nonsense attitude that almost makes Aubrie straighten her back in respect.

A shadow of something travels through Anakin´s features and the younger Jedi notices, it´s always there when Obi-Wan orders them around and about, it´s there when he thinks she is not looking. Sometimes, it´s even in Obi-Wan´s eyes as well.

“There is a mission for us to complete and if you don´t mind I think we should focus on that and not…” she gives them a stare down “…a petty comparison of who has the largest lightsaber, right now.”

Commander Cody snorts quietly and pretends, very badly, that he didn´t just laugh at both of their expenses. Anakin rolls her eyes without actual anger but Aubrie smiles, enjoying the fact that the dynamic between them seems to be always the same. She knows that behind Obi-Wan´s reprimands there is always a touch of enjoyment and that beneath Anakin´s playful insults there is an equal firm foundation of friendship and trust.

Aubrie misses the old days when everything was peaceful and her home was quiet, but she would be lying if she didn´t admit that she loved the little family that they have formed just now.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

Scratch _that_.

Her family was to grow _bigger_. Unexpectedly.

Aubrie stared with awe at the young Togruta girl that just minutes ago had walked down the ramp of a new ship; the cargo was supposed to be aid for the precarious situation of the planet, trapped in the middle of a conflicted warzone and being surrounded by enemies forces left and right.

Anakin and she had tried, in vain, to break the approaching army that every day came dangerously closer and closer to their location. It resulted in a never-ending battle where their strength was wasted. Master Kenobi was supposed to come up with one of her unorthodox yet brilliant plans as she usually did, but they simply lacked the resources to put any tactic in motion without risking losing almost all of their clones and possibly their lives as well.

“I´m the new Padawan learner, I´m Ahsoka Tano.”

 _Padawan of who, exactly?_ Aubrie wanted to ask.

The girl was but a small wisp of a youngling, but she had declared her mission with strength and firm resolution. She was small and thin, but she had the poise and attitude of a Master, and Aubrie almost lifted an eyebrow at her serious and professional face.

“I´m Obi-Wan Kenobi.” Her Master introduced herself, her regal stance outmatched even in the middle of a warzone. “I´m your new Master.”

Years and years of self-control leaded her to not gape like a fish at the announcement. She wanted to gasp and quickly remind her sweet Master that what she just said couldn´t be possible. Aubrie was Obi-Wan Kenobi´s current Padawan. She couldn´t possibly have another one.

The Jedi healer could feel Anakin´s hand touching her shoulder; more likely in a sign of comfort, trying to ground her in the here and now, and a quick look by the corner of her eyes got her knowing that Anakin knew about this beforehand, a small pang of betrayal shook her for a second, thinking that he didn´t have the courage to warn her until now.

“I´m at your service, Master Kenobi. But I was actually assigned to Master Skywalker.”

For the second time that day, Aubrie felt lightheaded. She turned to see Anakin, who didn´t have the same restrain than her and actually gasped in horror, he manage to speak only to reassured everyone on the scene that it was simply not possible. He hadn´t ask for a Padawan.

Aubrie herself could attest to that.

There was nothing more than Anakin hated more than responsibility. He would be the last Jedi to line up at the opportunity to teach a youngling.

Ahsoka insisted, despite Anakin´s clear refusal and Aubrie felt equally lost as uncomfortable in the middle of the conversation.

She chanced a look at her Master; she stood between the pair with a pensive grimace, right hand swiftly posed under her chin, in her usual meditative stance; the older Jedi appeared to be in deep thought, but Aubrie´s eyes could detect something strange and interesting under the apparent innocent outlook.

“We´ll have to sort this out later.” Obi-Wan announced when Anakin started to get defensive. “It won´t be long before those droids figure out a way around our cannons.” She excused. Aubrie frowned at the sudden grin that appeared on the red-headed Jedi´s face.

“I´ll check on Rex on the look-out post.” Anakin muttered, suddenly tired by the exertion. Obi-Wan quickly suggested him to take the small apprentice alongside with him, still smiling like a lothcat that had just gotten a prey.

The male Knight walked away with a tense jaw and a very excited fresh Padawan on his tail.

Aubrie waited until the two of them were out of hearing range, she frowned and looked at Obi-Wan with intrigued eyes “Master…”

The female Jedi turned to give her one of her amused looks and Aubrie instantly knew what that strange demeanor of last week meant, right before they left the Temple.

“Master… you could have just told me.” She said, sighing and feeling a bit sympathetic for Anakin, being the subject of General Kenobi´s antics wasn´t as fun as being the witness of them.

“And where is the fun in that?” She asked, walking alongside her with a confident stride about her.

“Do you think it wise…” she questions, thinking on Anakin´s pure annoyance when he met Ahsoka “…for Anakin to have a Padawan this soon on his career?”

Obi-Wan seemed to think that for a second, and her previous amused attitude appeared to extinguish in one of deep thought. “I´m not sure. It was the Council´s decision more than mine, to be honest.”

Aubrie hummed at that, realizing that the wise members of the Council seemed to take a keen interest in Anakin´s activities more than it was strictly necessary.

“They worry for Anakin´s growth, they only seek to improve his character. I´m not against the idea of him having an apprentice…”

“They do seem to like to test Anakin´s temper more than they do with most of us though.” Aubrie adds.

Obi-Wan smiles sadly.

“Anakin carries a heavy burden on his shoulders. It´s to be expected.”

Aubrie stops at that, staring at her through her amber eyes. “…Because he is the chosen one?”

She knew about that too, of course. Anakin Skywalker was known across the Temple because of two reasons: One, he was the apprentice of the legendary Obi-Wan Kenobi, and two, who he was believed to be: The Chosen One. The one designed by the Force to free the galaxy from the darkness.

Obi-Wan stopped too, staring at her with a mixture of sadness and consideration. As if she was worried by what her words implied.

“Anakin is special. He doesn´t need to be the chosen one.” She clarifies, a note of fondness and a soft uncharacteristic breath of something that appeared more like tenderness than simple recognition towards her past apprentice on her voice. “All great Jedi are to be tested, one way or another. I think that it will do Anakin some good to experience that. This is a perfect example of this.”

“Testing him… or all of us?”

The last question babbled out of her mouth without much thought and Aubrie regretted the words the minute they were out of her lips. Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at this but her eyes seemed surprised with the question that sounded more like an admission.

The female Master placed an armored hand over her shoulder, a gentle sad smile on her face.

“This war will test us all. It already has. We must be ready.”

Aubrie liked to think that her little family would be safe of that promise. That she won´t lose this the same way she has lost her last Master, her old friends, her old life.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Ahsoka was… _weird_.

She was cheerful, expressive and very vocal about what she liked and what she didn´t like. In many aspects, similar to Anakin. But in some other ways, so different. It baffled her how the young apprentice could be so mature for her years and then suddenly so childish. She would wisely recite an old creed from the Jedi Code and the next she would be complaining about some sort of injustice, usually she not been permitted to do something reckless and unpredicted.

After Master Obi-Wan decided to send them together to shut the enemies shields down, Aubrie could tell that something meaningful had happened between the new pair of Padawan-Master, for Anakin accepted Ahsoka as his apprentice and seemed to warm at the idea of being a teacher.

Aubrie raised an eyebrow at that.

“Hi!” the small girl saluted her. Aubrie looked down just to witness a big open smile on the Togruta´s face. “I´m Ahsoka Tano”

“I know.” She stated. She remembers her, she was there when she walked down the ramp of her ship, even if the youngling hadn´t paid her much mind.

“I heard that you are Master Kenobi´s Padawan.”

She nodded, raising an eyebrow.

Out of the sudden, the new apprentice bowed respectfully to her. “I´m honored to study by your side and I hope I get to learn much from you.”

The whole thing was strange and off-putting, although apparently the girl reminded her manners, even if it was at the last minute, something that Aubrie could appreciate. The older student imitated her and bowed too, answering the sign of mutual recognition.

“It´s an honor to meet you too, Padawan Tano. I´m Aubrie Wyn, senior Padawan learner of Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

“I heard that you were my Master´s sister-padawan.” She said with curiosity gleaming on her blue eyes.

“I´m still am, in a manner of speaking. We both studied under the same tutelage.” She said as she started to walk.

“It must be an honor for you…” she commented sounding more and more like a child, although not in a bad way. “…to be able to have someone as famous as Master Kenobi as your mentor.”

Aubrie smiles kindly.

“It really is.”

“I´m honored to be chosen as Master Skywalker´s Padawan, as well.” She confesses, a hint of a blush beneath the reddish skin of her. “Although, it wasn´t of his own volition.”

Aubrie detects the slight insecurity in the tremor of her voice, still unsure of her position, as if any moment Anakin would change his mind and send her away and back to the crèche.

“Don´t worry.” The brown-haired Jedi tells her, smiling in a compassionate manner, trying to ease the younger Padawan´s preoccupation. “I´m sure you will grow on him.”

“You think so?” she asks, hopeful and suddenly so young that makes Aubrie feel subsequently older.

“Of course. Anakin is a nice guy.” She reassures. “And he often pretends to be tougher than he really is.”

The shy quiet response that Ahsoka gives her reassures Aubrie too. The girl was nothing but a youngling with a hunger for a bright career and a firm purpose. Aubrie could remember when she was just the same way. Growing up hearing amazing stories of the deadly Sith Killer and the powerful Chosen One, hardly believing that she could call one of them her Master and the other her brother.

Looking down at young Ahsoka, she could see a younger version of herself.

“Don´t you worry, Padawan Tano.” Aubrie says while embracing the young one with one arm over her shoulder. The Torgruta looking up at her with wide curious eyes. “You will get used to everything rather quickly. You seem like a perfect fit for this unconventional group.” She declares with a wink.

Ahsoka grins.

“Welcome to the family...”

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Changes to their exclusive, small group kept coming. Apparently.

Aubrie could barely accept and get used to one when another was on its way.

First, Anakin had gotten promoted, that had both cheered Aubrie up and exasperated her at the same time. Cheered, because she was happy and proud of her brother-Padawan and exasperated because now Anakin´s ego was going to be off the roof. Then, they have been granted Ahsoka as the smallest member of their gang, a new Jedi novice for them to train and guide. And now, Rex and Cody, not to mention the entire 501 Legion and the 212 Attack Batallion, had become the firm, strong and steady infrastructure that held their little group together.

Anakin was the warm pulsating heart of their squad; all wild feelings and untamed emotion that managed to lighten their spirit or filling their rage, and Obi-Wan was certainly the calculating rational brain that made sense of them and calmed their passions. But the clones, well, the clones were the ones that kept them all sane when the heart and the brain couldn´t get along or when they were so caught up within their own set of ideas to notice the middle ground between them: Ahsoka and Aubrie.

Sure, Cody and Rex were there for almost the very beginning, but now they were more than simple soldiers or reliable commanders. They were friends. People to share a joke with, to trust to cover your back when you were tired and careless in the middle of the battlefield, to be ready to take over if Obi-Wan and Anakin were having a falling over or too occupied to give orders.

Aubrie wonders when did they started to consider them family instead of just, well, some other people they had to work with.

Maybe it was when Rex made a sneaky joke about Anakin´s inability to stop crashing their ships, despite the fact that the knight spent half his time declaring he was the best pilot of the entire Republic fleet. Or when Cody took a blast shot to his chest that was directed at her when she got distracted by some random explosion at the distance.

Aubrie couldn´t exactly point her finger at the precise moment. She just knew that it was now too late not to see it.

Especially when they lived through moments like _these_...

“You barged in, ignoring my orders…” Obi-Wan berated with a serious tone that was dangerously escalating to anger.

“I´m a Knight, I can make my own decisions now, Master. I do not need your permission to take action.” Anakin´s voice was upset, though. There was no doubt about that. With Anakin, there were no middle grounds.

“Some Knight you are. I´m a Jedi _Master_.” Obi-Wan frowned with a twist of her mouth. Now, she was the one upset.

Anakin rolled his blue eyes.

“Here we go again…”

“Yes, Anakin, here we go again, because you don´t seem to grasp the concept that I outrank you. MY orders take priority over yours, so does my judgement.”

“There will come a day when that excuse will get old and you won´t be able to use it, you know.” He hissed, eyes half lidded and teeth clenched. 

Obi-Wan nodded at the ground, crossing her arms over her armor in stubborn defiance. “And until that day comes I will remain using it as much as possible.”

Ahsoka looked at her with a tired and annoyed expression on her face. Aubrie made sure to keep her own face as neutral as possible. She didn´t like to take sides when Obi-Wan and Anakin got into another domestic, which was often, but the timing of this discussion couldn´t be more inappropriate. They were in the middle of the mission, hiding themselves from droids that were currently shooting at them.

Aubrie could tell that Ahsoka was hesitating, not really sure if she should be the one to remind the two older Jedi that right now was probably not the best moment to measure egos. Aubrie didn´t want to intervene either, last time she did, she almost got her head bitten off by Anakin and Obi-Wan acted a little bit more reserved for an entire week, avoiding her as much as she could without actually being obvious about it, which she was by the way; and Aubrie had just convinced Obi-Wan to give her a lesson on Jar-Kai this week so she was not about to barge in on their discussion and blow the whole thing off.

“Would you listen for once in your life, _Skywalker_?” The high ranked General questioned, pinching the bridge of her thin nose.

“I don´t know, _Kenobi_ , you tell me. Are you ever going to listen to what I have to say for a change?”

Oh, _surnames_. This was getting ugly now.

Obi-Wan was about to open her mouth, ready to give Anakin some earful, surely, when all of their comms beeped in unison and cracked to life.

“With all due respect, Generals…” Cody´s voice ringed through the transmitter.

“…you are both acting like children.” Rex completed.

Their words were follow by a heavy explosion that made them cover their eyes and lower their heads. When the smoke settled a bit and it was safe to open their eyes, they could see that most of the battlefield was clear of the offensive droid army.

Multiple air-crafts appeared, lowering to the ground and hovering close to them, Captain Rex and Commander Cody walked out of one of them with a smug swagger that it was noticeable even though they were wearing their designated armor and Aubrie couldn’t possibly see their faces with their helmets on but she would bet all her credits that they were smirking beneath them.  

“Five more minutes and you were all about to be blasted, General.” Cody remarked.

Obi-Wan had the modesty to look a bit sheepish at the light scolding. Anakin looked away and cleared his throat, he was clearly embarrassed but he would first drop dead than admitting defeat.

“Yeah, well, thank you for your assistance Commander, but we had everything under control.” He rasped.

“Bullshit.” Aubrie whispered. Somehow, she must have been lauder than she intended because Anakin gave her a dirty look over his shoulder.  

“If with ‘under control’ you mean ‘obliterated by the enemy’, then yes, sure thing.” Ahsoka offered with a shrug.

“Snips…” Anakin rasped in warning.

“What!? It´s true! Fifteen more seconds of you two yelling and it wouldn´t be the Seps killing us, but me.”

Obi-Wan was the first to stand and walk off as if she just hadn´t been scolded by her second in command in front of her entire battalion. “Yeah, well, if we could all get moving.”

Aubrie followed her suit without a second thought as Ahsoka and Anakin started another fight between them, and when Obi-Wan refused to look at her out of shame, the brunette grinned.

“Hey, it was your idea to put those two together in the first place.” The apprentice reminded her at their sound of the newly Master-Padawan pair banter, which ended in laughter, as usual.

“And I regret it every day of my life.” The older Jedi confessed with a deep breath.

“I wonder who got the _brilliant_ idea to pair you up with Anakin, though” Aubrie confessed, getting into one of the hovering crafts waiting for them.

“My late Master, actually.” Obi-Wan said, despite the declaration there was no hint of sadness on her tone, more like fondness. “He was a wise men but he would always find a way to charge me with the care of pathetic life forms.” She groaned in melodramatic pain.

“Hey! I heard that!” Anakin shouted from his own craft, interrupting his, by now, playful discussion with his own student.

“You were meant to!” Obi-Wan yelled back, walking into the cockpit. A brand new grin on her dirty face.

Aubrie had to admit that Anakin reaction to that was priceless, so she was forced to grin as well.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

In the rare occasions that they got to be on planet, which was getting more and more unusual as the war raged on, Aubrie indulged in distracting herself from her duties by going for a few drinks with her friends at the multiple bars in lower levels of Coruscant that she is usually used to.

Aubrie didn´t make a habit of drinking, she barely did, to be honest; but she enjoyed the social occasions simply because she adored to spend time with her friends. During those special nights, there were jokes and war stories that the young Padawans shared among them. Sometimes they did silly bets, mostly about dares of who gets to destroy more droids on their next mission or how many reckless stunts are their willing to pull with their starfighters; some other times though, they just wanted to gossip about stuff that they got to see while under the tutelage of their respective Masters.

During this particular discussions, Aubrie opted to remain quiet. As much as people ask her about her Master, the legendary Obi-Wan Kenobi, or wanted to know some stories and debunk or, rather confirm, some outlandish new tale about Anakin, Aubrie didn´t like to touch the matter. Because in truth, there was something weird when it came to both, Master Kenobi and Anakin.

Everybody knew that they were a unit. Two halves of a single whole.  As if they were one sole being instead of two separate independent people. As different as they were, wired in such a distinctive, sometimes even opposite, way; they functioned better when they combined their efforts than they ever could if they just went their own way, or worked with somebody else entirely.

It seemed that Anakin wildness could only be tamed by Obi-Wan´s rationality, and Kenobi´s natural defensive approach was strengthened by Skywalker´s impulsivity and quick spontaneity. It was as if the Force itself had engineered their match from the very start, and maybe, in a way, it did. Aubrie herself has been witness of the perfection of their unity, the invisible connection between them that couldn´t be replicated or opposed. It was remarkable. And also a bit too uncomfortable to observe.

Sometimes, Aubrie catches Master Obi-Wan looking at Anakin with some strange longing that she never got to see before, as if the man wasn´t just there, standing at three feet away, close enough to touch. As if she had missed him for years, when she got to see him every day. Sometimes it was Anakin, who found odd and convenient excuses to spend time alone with the female Jedi or that strangely seemed to have a fixation in touching her as much as he possibly could; his fingers absently playing with the ends of her braids when he got bored on a meeting, or a sporadic touch to her arm in reassurance when she was saying something particularly smart, standing a little too close than necessary when he needed to talk to her about something, you name it, Anakin would always find a reason to be near her, to touch her, to feel her in some way.

Anakin, she could vaguely understand. He was a tactile guy. Way too open and expressive for a Jedi, attached to the emotion and sometimes even slaved by his impulses. And also, he used to be in love with his Master for a while, Aubrie could attest to that. But Master Obi-Wan had reassured her that Anakin´s infatuation had passed with time, and, if his recent behavior was any indication, the blond Knight seemed more romantically interested in the Senator from Naboo than anything, but it seems that his attention was forever bound towards his first love: Obi-Wan Kenobi.

What Aubrie didn´t understand though, was Obi-Wan´s own interest. Anakin was young and unexperienced in many ways, even when he was a Knight already. But Obi-Wan was the oldest of them, certainly the wisest, and a Master and member of the High Council no less. It made no sense for her to look like a lovesick teenager towards her old Padawan from time to time. But she did, Force help her, she did.

The image of Master Kenobi sneaking around the ship to Anakin´s quarters late at night still burned in the back of Aubrie´s mind. The way that the Jedi Master seemed to be a bit too cautious when she did so; as if she feared being discovered. Aubrie was casually walking through the halls when she saw her, but it still left her wondering. Or when Ahsoka and she were walking back to the Padawan apartments they now both shared with one another, right in font of their Masters´ ones and caught them talking outside their door, Obi-Wan smiling brightly, in a sweet way that reminded her of the way that Feryl and Wonn, two friends of hers, used to talk to each other when they had their little illicit liaison during their youngling years. She even held Anakin´s hand in hers, grasping it fondly and without reservations. It made the two Padawans scratch their heads.

Aubrie knew they were close. Particularly close. But sometimes, Aubrie feared just how much they truly could actually be. And the young Jedi prayed to simply not find out, to not just be wondering around in the middle of the night and see something she rather shouldn´t have.

The Force, though, didn´t seem so keen in answering her prayers.

Ahsoka and Aubrie were doing a late walk through the halls of the Temple, enjoying the fact that they got a couple of mission-free days of relaxation. Anakin had opted to escape to the apartment of his not-so-secret-lover, Senator Amidala, and Ahsoka, who was incredibly none the wiser of such situation (yet), had asked her for a friendly spar. Aubrie had agreed, feeling the characteristic restlessness overtake her, it happen quite often when she got a lazy day like this. She was way too used to the havoc and buzzing activity of the war by now to just stay put.

As they took their nightly strode after training and with direction to the main diner of the Temple, they heard them.

Or what it sounded a lot like _them_.

“Stop it, please…”

Aubrie ended her walk mid step, frowning. The voice sounded similar to Obi-Wan to her ears, but the breathy tone of it was completely alien to the usually collected Jedi.

Ahsoka must have noticed it too because she froze beside her.

“Shhh…” a deep whisper hushed.

“It was your fault…” the female insisted, sounding more and more like Obi-Wan by the minute “…you shouldn´t do that in the middle of the gardens.”

They were indeed in the gardens. And that was, certainly, Obi-Wan´s voice. Aubrie would recognize that scolding tone anywhere.

“I wouldn´t do that if you didn´t look so…mmmm” the voice said, follow by a deep groan.

Ahsoka beside her almost squeak at that, and turned to see her with wide eyes and a blush. Aubrie had to close her eyes for a second, praying to the Force that everything was but a bad dream.

The male voice wasn´t as distinguishable as Obi-Wan´s but Aubrie had half a mind to guess who that would be.

“Shut up!” Obi-Wan whispered angrily. “Don´t be silly.”

“I´m not.” There was a weird wet sound, brief; but it was audible enough for Aubrie´s stomach to turn and twist.

“Where are you going?” the male voice objected. “You know I don´t like it when you go away without me…”

“Too bad. I´m not telling.”

“Why not?”

Aubrie paled when the voice got way too similar to a certain Jedi Knight´s voice. And the familiarity made her almost shiver.

“…Because knowing you, you will panic and steal a ship and follow me there or something stupid like that…” Obi-Wan huffed. Her voice weirder and weirder, her usual maturity almost gone, replacing it a soft childish ring that made Aubrie frown.

“It´s not stupid.”

“Let me be the judge of that.”

Aubrie and Ahsoka couldn´t actually see them. It was dark, and the many trees and bushes didn´t let them see where they were hidden, but the sound of their voices gave them an input of the direction of their whereabouts.

The issue was if they wanted to actually see.

Regardless of their intent, the two voices stopped. Not even the hint of a whisper through the air. It made Aubrie think that they maybe have heard them too.

Ahsoka was about to say something when a bush moved and Obi-Wan walked from it, not noticing them at the distance, staring.

She was wearing her regular clothes but her usually tidy hair was flowing freely, something that Aubrie had never seen before. She was also wearing some sort of blue flowers in her hair, the ones she has gotten the chance to see in her Master´s apartments when she had been there.

The young students stood there, waiting for the man to appear too. Aubrie could see that Ahsoka had no idea who that could be, her curiosity palpable on the Force. But Aubrie was afraid, because if her suspicious were real she wouldn’t know what to do with herself afterwards.

But the man never appeared.

When Obi-Wan had walked away from the gardens, Ahsoka had sneaked carefully to the bushes, eyes wondering around trying to capture something. Aubrie followed her, her own steps heavier, almost fighting her own feet. She didn´t want to discover what she already knew.

But there was no one.

As if the man had vanish, or actually never there, the bushes were lonely an empty with no one behind them or close to it. The only sounds were the nocturne insects and the usual busy night life of Coruscant close by.

“Is this for real?” Ahsoka asked out loud.

Aubrie shrugged, puzzled.

“I don´t know.”

“Did we just heard Master Obi-Wan… flirting…?” Ahsoka spoke carefully, as if she was afraid of offending _her._

“Master Obi-Wan is always flirting. With everyone.” Aubrie corrected.

Which was actually true. Obi-Wan did, in fact, flirted usually and so casually that it was boarding in annoying. Especially for Anakin, that always rolled his blue eyes when she started making sweet eyes to someone during the missions.

That should have been the first hint, in retrospect.

“But… what she was saying…” Ahsoka murmured, cheeks turning dark.

“She is an adult.” Aubrie intersected. Not really knowing if she was saying that to convince Ahsoka or herself. “She knows what she is doing…”

“Aren´t we supposed to be above such things though?” Ahsoka questioned “Aren´t we not supposed to stay away from attachment?”

“A romantic relationship is not necessarily an attachment.”

Ahsoka looked at her as if she was insane. Aubrie felt a little bit insane too to be honest.

“What I mean is that… if Master Obi-Wan is aware that her feelings, regardless of the depth of them, cannot and should not come before her duty… there shouldn´t be a problem.”

Ahsoka´s frown deepened. “That is not what I was taught.”

Aubrie shrugged.

“You live and experience the code the way you can. There are people who can withstand to be connected with other people in an emotional level without letting it rule their judgement, there are people who can´t.” Aubrie explained, staring at the corridor where Master Obi-Wan had escaped to. “You will find out which one are you, in time.”

Ahsoka seemed to meditate that for a moment, turning to look behind the bush once again, as if it will reassure her.

“… Who do you think it was... the man…?” She asked.

Aubrie was almost sure she knew who he was. Although there was no way to confirm it.

But Ahsoka didn´t need to know that.

“I´m not sure.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Where is Anakin?”

Aubrie had been blunt. Because if she was going to protect the possibly of Obi-Wan and Anakin fooling around from Ahsoka and possibly the Council itself when they thought she wasn´t looking the least they could do is confirm it.

“Beg your pardon?”

“Anakin. Where is it?” Aubrie repeated, feeling exasperated. Obi-Wan looking up at her from her seat with a mix of disconcert and indifference.

“Amidala´s.” The older Jedi said, raising an eyebrow.

By the time Ahsoka had drop the subject in the gardens and returned to their quarters, Aubrie had trailed down Obi-Wan´s location, who was carelessly eating while reading some datapad in the common cafeteria.

Aubrie stared her down with a serious expression.

“Is there something in your mind?” the Master asked, finally sensing the weird atmosphere behind Aubrie´s demeanor.

“I heard you.”

Obi-Wan didn´t say anything, but she didn´t seem alarmed either. “I don´t follow.”

“You. Anakin. In the gardens.”

Aubrie had expected some sort of reaction. A gasp, or some quick succession of denials, even just a strange gleam on Obi-Wan´s grey eyes, but there wasn´t even that.

Obi-Wan´s face was perfectly blank. Emotionless.

“You saw me… in the gardens?”

Aubrie nodded, firmly.

“Were you spying on me?” The older female inquired. This time, a flash of anger on her orbs was visible.

“I saw you by chance, I swear Master.” She told her, a bit afraid at the possibility of the Jedi´s fury. “I was with Ahsoka when it happened. She heard too.”

Obi-Wan closed her eyes in quiet frustration. Surely praying to the Force for some patience judging by her look.

“And you think you heard me and Anakin, doing what exactly…?”

“Do I need to repeat the words, Master?” Aubrie asked, biting her lip nervously.

“I would love for you to do so…” the red-haired woman insisted “…since Anakin was never in the gardens with me.”

Aubrie stared at her blankly. Almost not comprehending the words. The Padawan thought that she was surely joking because her statement was beyond ridiculous, but Obi-Wan was staring up at her with no hesitation and no sign of retraction.

“You can´t be serious.”

“I can and I am.”

“But we saw you!” Aubrie insisted, voice thin and trying to keep it down since the cafeteria still had some people roaming it´s halls.

“You couldn´t possible saw us since there was never an ‘ _us’._ ” Obi-Wan said, finally leaving her food behind and turning her datapad off.

“But you were there…”

“I was, indeed.” She confirmed it. “But Anakin wasn´t.”

The firm declaration gave the young apprentice pause. She was certain of what she saw, she couldn´t be as crazy as to have imagined the whole scene, especially when Ahsoka was there, with her. But she hadn´t seen Anakin there, that much was true. Just Obi-Wan.

“…But there was someone with you…” Aubrie added suspiciously.

“Is that really any of your concern?” Obi-Wan askes quietly.

“…No, I mean…”

“Because I´m certainly capable of having conversations with other people without your permission.” The Master explained, her tone was diplomatically serious, with a palpable anger underneath her words that made Aubrie´s skin crawl with fear. “I failed to see how my personal affairs might trouble you on any way.”

Aubrie remained quiet, chastised by her Master´s harsh words. She was ashamed of herself to an extent. She didn´t mean to pry, of course, but it had happened anyway and the young Padawan wasn´t sure she could handle knowing that something so utterly forbidden was happening right under her nose.

By principle, Aubrie wouldn´t mind it as much as she did when she first found out about Anakin´s feelings towards her old Master.

After all, Obi-Wan was right. It was really none of her business.

But since Ahsoka came along, things had changed…

“How would you feel if Anakin was having an affair with Ahsoka?”

Days after that, Aubrie would still question if she actually said that.

“What?”

Obi-Wan disbelief was almost as great as Aubrie´s own; but it was too late to take the words back. So, instead, they seemed to propel forward.

“When I found out about Anakin´s feelings I thought them wrong because of Anakin´s difficulty with attachment.” Aubrie tried to fix, hoping that her explanation would lessen the iron of her previous statement. “But now that Ahsoka is here, it´s more than that.”

Obi-Wan´s jaw was slightly slack, impressed and offended by Aubrie´s accusation. She should be, but that didn´t discourage the Padawan to continue.

“You were his Master.” The brunette remained her, as if Obi-Wan could possibly forget it. “And if you two have some feelings for each other I could bet they didn´t start when he left your care. How would you feel if Anakin suddenly started having romantic feelings towards Ahsoka?”

“That´s quite enough.”

Obi-Wan´s voice was stern and final, leaving no room for more words or explanations.

Aubrie obey without a second thought, biting her lips to avoid allowing any other traitorous words to escape. She did it more out of habit a sheer obedience than conviction. Obi-Wan was her Master, her superior; she was a mere child compared to her.

“Are you quite done insulting me?”

Aubrie lowered her eyes to the ground, ashamed. She had said too much, she realized; even if she was still firm on her opinion.

People around her hadn´t heard their little quarrel, but some of the senior Jedi closed by seemed to stare at them, as if noticing the shift on the atmosphere around them. Obi-Wan looked at her with a powerful glare that would put any Sith to shame.

“Now, if you will allow me to explain…” Obi-Wan said, offering a seat in front of her own. Aubrie took the offer with graceful resolution and more than a little embarrassment. “…not that I have to explain myself to you or anyone else for that matter…”

‘The man you heard in the gardens wasn´t Anakin. The man you heard was Master Quinlan Vos.”

Aubrie is suddenly confused and surprised; she knew who Quinlan Vos was. A famous Jedi who was known for his unorthodox ways and undercover missions. A spy.

Sneaking around the garden sounded right up his alley.

“…Master Vos…?” She asked quietly.

“Yes.” Obi-Wan confirmed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “An old friend of mine.”

“What we heard wasn´t exactly… friendly…” Aubrie whispered with some bewilderment.

Obi-Wan rolled her eyes.

“He tends to talk in an inappropriate manner” She explained, suddenly serious again and looking at her with some apparent discomfort. “Besides, we have history.”

The Padawan didn´t say anything to that, waiting for the Jedi Master to continue explaining.

“When we were Padawans, mere younglings really, we had some sort of… relationship. It was completely inappropriate and I can assure we are long past it, but after that we developed a strange playful partnership.”

Aubrie opened her mouth, not to say something but because the unexpected information was beyond what she expected. And to be honest, the apprentice wasn´t so keen in believing that the Jedi Master was telling the whole truth; what Ahsoka and her had heard in the gardens didn´t seem like a “long past” situation, more like an on an off thing between colleagues. But that wasn´t her business, and Obi-Wan didn´t have any obligation to discloser her private intimate secrets to her either.

“I apologize if I caused you distress and I will avoid any other situation like this to ever transpire in such a public space again, but I do not appreciate you harassing me and accusing me of child molestation either.”

Obi-Wan last statement was charged with emotion and angers, her grey eyes as stormy as a thunder in Kamino and her Force signature furious and burning with an invisible fire.

Aubrie nodded.

“I´m sorry, Master. I was out of line.”

“You were” she nodded. “I will talk with Ahsoka before going to sleep, if that gives you peace of mind.”

“No need, Master. I will do so myself.”

Obi-Wan seemed to meditate that for a minute, probably not trusting the younger female with such a task, not after she accused the Jedi Master with such inappropriate behavior as to being involved with her underage student. She finally nodded her approval and made a dismissive gesture with her hand.

“Do as you will. If you excuse me I will retire…”

Aubrie bowed respectfully and the older woman only stopped to acknowledge the gesture but didn´t bow back nor made a comment to it.

Aubrie knew that Obi-Wan probably didn´t see her the same way anymore, but she knew that she probably deserved that too.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Anakin walked in to the Temple after spending some time out with the Chancellor, it was dark and chilly in Coruscant and some part of him, the restless one for sure, wished to stay out and explore the lively city that seemly never rested, but he knew that he needed to be back by now since tomorrow morning he had a training session with his new beloved Padawan.

Before he could set his way into the ever illuminated halls of the grandiose building and into his quarters though, a pair of strong arms pulled him by his robes into a dark alley near the entrance of the apartment’s wing.

His reflexes had him grasping his lightsaber out of his belt by pure instinct, but the dark figure that had captured him had quickly stopped his hand with a stern grip; Anakin would have attack if the mysterious attacker hadn´t step closer to him, allowing the dim lights of the corridors to illuminate her face slightly.

“For Force sake, Obi-Wan…” Anakin mumbled with a mixture of relief and exasperation.

The female Jedi released his arm and relaxed, taking a step back.

“You scared the Sith out of me…” Anakin joked.

A small smile appeared on his mouth and a tender tone sweetened his tone. “I was on my way to our quarters, you know. You don´t have to hide in a dark alley for me…” he said with a wink, approaching her and ready to kiss her.

Obi-Wan stopped him with a hand on his chest and a serious look on her grey eyes.

“Aubrie came looking for me…” She told him, raising an eyebrow at his care-free attitude.

Anakin stopped his vain attempts to kiss his wife and straighten up, his face turning dead serious and unreadable, if anger was building up inside him, Obi-Wan couldn´t tell.

“Did she, now?” He said. Voice grave as the look on his face.

“Ahsoka was with her in the gardens.” Obi-Wan whispered, eyes darting back and forth between him and the corridor, almost expecting an intruder to be spying on them.

Anakin closed his eyes for a minute, almost as if he was on deep thought but Obi-Wan knew better, all of her husband´s cheerful energy was drained from his demeanor and his previous candor gone. All that was left, was a barely concealed fury, that although it appeared subdued, it was probably as ferocious as an open explosion of shouts and threats.

Obi-Wan waited for him to speak. To say something. To shout, even. Although it seemed that Anakin had no intention to lose himself to emotion, as he used to do in the past. Instead, he took a deep breath and opened his eyes for her to see.

“I trust you said something” he finally responded. It wasn´t a question exactly but he expected an answer nonetheless.

“Of course I did.” She replied, holding her brow with one hand, suddenly tired of the whole thing. “I told her that it wasn´t you. I said it was Quinlan.”

Anakin reacted to that with a raised eyebrow, one hand clenched on a fist. He wasn´t really happy at the prospect of someone knowing, or even thinking, that there was something between her and the maverick Jedi Master. Anakin wasn´t able to openly declared Obi-Wan as his wife, it anger him to think that someone else could even when it wasn´t true.

“You lied.” He accused without judgement, only intrigue.

His voice was almost vacant, but Obi-Wan could sense his surprise in the Force.

“Not my finest hour, no.” She admitted, internally perturbed by her own falsehood. “I lied to my student.” She suddenly reasoned, as if her crime just had sank in. “I lied to Aubrie, krifing great.”

There was a heavy silence and the female Jedi let her head hang in shame, both of her hands touching her forehead. She was tired indeed, mortified and drained, her body and mind appeared to be assaulted with too many emotions in a single day.

Anakin broke the moment with the soft ruffle of his clothes, getting closer and taking her in a warm embrace. Obi-Wan´s head rested on Anakin´s chest almost immediately, recognizing her rightful place naturally; Obi-Wan took a deep breath, allowing Anakin´s smell and his sweet cologne to hypnotize her in a fake calmness.

“It´s going to be all right.” He promised.

His tone changed again. There was no undercover rage, just a palpable need to sooth her.

Obi-Wan shook her head nonetheless. She wanted to believe in his words, but still felt unsure.

“Did she believe you?” He asked, hands caressing her back and shoulders.

Obi-Wan nodded.

“Then we are safe. We are going to be more careful from now on.”

Anakin kissed the top of her hair, tenderly, expecting that his caresses could ease some of Obi-Wan´s concern. A part of Anakin was surprised and strangely pleased with the fact that the red-haired Jedi willingly lied in order to protect their relationship, a deep sense of pride swelled inside Anakin´s chest, now knowing that the female Jedi was committed to their love almost as much as he was.

However, it didn´t pleased him that the whole situation was overwhelming and unpleasant for her but the knowledge that she was going to protect their marriage filled him with indescribable joy.

The blond men looked down at his own chest, the face of his wife buried on his robe.

“And don´t worry.” He said with a kiss. “Nothing is going to change this.”

It was a promise, as much as a threat.

“And no one…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 *me walking into AO3 to post the next chapter like*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been too long, fellas.   
> But I´m back.... let´s throw a party.  
> I don´t know why every time I try to write sweet Anakin, he ends up being creepy. I will try to improve that.

**Author's Note:**

> I guess you didn´t expect that to happen but it did. Anyway I will use some of legends here as you might have noticed as well as the Clone Wars Tv Show and Revenge of The Sith storylines, we will be reading this by stages. The first stage it´s, as you may have noticed, Death. Chapter won´t be usually this long, but I got carried away because I wanted to show some of their time together before killing poor Obi-Wan off, it wouldn´t have been fair otherwise. Anyway, I hope you stick around, there will be alot of angst but it will be worth the pain ;)


End file.
